by
Ron Lagerquist

"If you struggle with overeating, you will know that addiction is all about detachment and disconnection from your spiritual self and God."

In an era of grocery stores and fast food, it's hard to make the connection between your eating and communion with God. But for most of human history, families would sow their seed while praying for rain and protection from pestilence. A household’s welfare was intimately married to seed and soil and wholly dependent on the God of sun and rain. Harvest was a time of celebration. The fruit of their labor would ensure a daily provision from hunger and starvation. To offer a meal to a hungry passerby was a gift of sacrifice. A loaf of bread was an investment of time from the planting of the seed to the harvesting, milling and baking in clay ovens. They understood very well when Jesus said, I am the Bread of Life.

One of the great byproducts of changing from eating packaged foods to a diet primarily made up of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole foods is the increased connection between diet and Creator. This connection encourages pause and remembrance. It is far easier to detach while praying the blessing over a Big Mac and fries than a bowl of greens, sprinkled with raw nuts and fresh flax dressing. Add to that peeling and cutting, releasing the earthy aroma of raw produce, washing the dirt and insects off green leaves. Preparing a healthy meal serves as a reminder of where your meal came from, and Who it came from.

I think the connection between diet and Creator is vital to overcoming the compulsiveness so many experience when hurrying down a meal between tasks. If you struggle with overeating, you will know that addiction is all about detachment and disconnection from your spiritual self and God.

So what if you where to take the time and invite the Holy Spirit to supper? What if dinner became a form of communion with God? Frantic gorging would be replaced by deliberate remembrance and reflection of His bounty. What if that was God’s original plan, modeled in Eden, repeated over and over through biblical history, finally ending at the great banquet table where all have been invited to eat? Establishing a connection between your eating and your God maybe the most effective weight loss program, because it will change you from the inside out.