You Must Not Eat Bread or Drink Water or Return By the Way You Came

"For I was commanded by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.'"1 Kings 13:9

When I read this story from 1 Kings 13, I was struck by what happened to the man of God. For you to really understand my awe, please read this chapter in its entirety first.

1 Kings 13

The Man of God From Judah

 ¹ By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. ² He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD : "O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.' " ³ That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out."  ⁴ When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. ⁵ Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.

 ⁶ Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.

 ⁷ The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift."

 ⁸ But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. ⁹ For I was commanded by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.' " ¹⁰ So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

 ¹¹ Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. ¹² Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. ¹³ So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it ¹⁴ and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?"

      "I am," he replied.

 ¹⁵ So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat."

 ¹⁶ The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. ¹⁷ I have been told by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.' "

 ¹⁸ The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD : 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (But he was lying to him.) ¹⁹ So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

 ²⁰ While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back. ²¹ He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. ²² You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.' "

 ²³ When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. ²⁴ As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was thrown down on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. ²⁵ Some people who passed by saw the body thrown down there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.

 ²⁶ When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard of it, he said, "It is the man of God who defied the word of the LORD. The LORD has given him over to the lion, which has mauled him and killed him, as the word of the LORD had warned him."

 ²⁷ The prophet said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me," and they did so. ²⁸ Then he went out and found the body thrown down on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey. ²⁹ So the prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own city to mourn for him and bury him. ³⁰ Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they mourned over him and said, "Oh, my brother!"

 ³¹ After burying him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. ³² For the message he declared by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true."

 ³³ Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. ³⁴ This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.

The man of God was duped, wouldn't you think? In verses 18-19, we see that the other prophet lied to him and said that an angel told the man to come back and eat & drink with him. So, the man of God who had prophesied the truth went ahead and did just that. However, we see twice (in verses 9 and 17) that he knew that he wasn't supposed to eat or drink or return by the way he came. When he chose to listen to the falsehood of a fellow sojourner over the Lord, the Lord told him that he had not obeyed His commands and therefore would not be buried with his fathers. Not only that, but it all happened on his way home! There was an immediate response to his sin. And what was his sin? Eating, drinking and returning by the way he had came. Not even the king who never changed his evil ways was treated so harshly...

But, it spoke to me (as Scripture does, praise God!). When we know better, there are harsher consequences here on earth, I think. God has told us how to treat our bodies, He has given us insight into what He requires, and in two verses in this chapter in the Bible, we see the phrases you must not eat, drink or return by the way you came. Now can we eat bread? Yes, I think so (unless God tells us not to!). And can we drink water? By all means! But, I think these verses jumped out to me because they were about eating and drinking. The real message to me was "don't go back where you came from." Don't go back to the life of sin where you ate what you wanted where you wanted. Don't go back to overeating, becoming trapped by our indulgences and gaining weight.

Over the holidays, I haven't been allowed to exercise because of my gall bladder surgery. But, I've also chosen to eat things I know that are wrong. My pants are tight even though the scale says I've only gained a couple pounds. But, the whole idea is to lose weight! I'm not to eat or drink whatever I want to - I am to follow the Lord's instructions for my body and His promptings on what's proper for me. And I'm surely not supposed to return to where I came from... I can't go back to being obese!!! And it's so easy to yo-yo back to where we've been. But, God says no. And He says no so 'violently' that these verses show His immediate discipline for those who do. I believe the Lord wanted me to take this passage very seriously. While the enemy is prowling around like a lion, we have the Savior on our side. We just need to obey His instructions and glorify Him in all we do. Be careful to listen to the Holy Spirit and not others who say "hey, what can eating this hurt, just this once..."

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that Your Word is living and breathing, sharper than any two-edged sword. God, I confess I've made poor choices like this prophet. Father, please forgive me. Please don't let the lion in to devour my life and the plans You have for me. Please help me reach my goal of being healthy and thin for Your glory. Please help us all not to return by the way we came. Help us make better choices and listen to Your promptings. And speak clearly and loudly to us, God! May we follow You all the days of our lives. In Jesus' precious and holy name, AMEN!

A Wife of Noble Character...Gets Up While It's Still Dark

^{10 [c]} A wife of noble character who can find?
       She is worth far more than rubies.

 ¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
       and lacks nothing of value.

 ¹² She brings him good, not harm,
       all the days of her life.

 ¹³ She selects wool and flax
       and works with eager hands.

 ¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
       bringing her food from afar.

 ¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
       she provides food for her family
       and portions for her servant girls.

 ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
       out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

 ¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
       her arms are strong for her tasks.

 ¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
       and her lamp does not go out at night.

 ¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
       and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

 ²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
       and extends her hands to the needy.

 ²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
       for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

 ²² She makes coverings for her bed;
       she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

 ²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
       where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

 ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
       and supplies the merchants with sashes.

 ²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
       she can laugh at the days to come.

 ²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
       and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

 ²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
       and does not eat the bread of idleness.

 ²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
       her husband also, and he praises her:

 ²⁹ "Many women do noble things,
       but you surpass them all."

 ³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
       but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

 ³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
       and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:10-31

Again, these verses are an acrostic poem in the original language, meaning each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I love that!

I was telling my mom how I struggle to get up early to exercise. I know it's the best time of the day to do so, especially since I'm raising two little boys that need me during the day. When I take their nap time to exercise, I'm missing my opportunity to write, study, or do housework. My mom reminded me of these verses where noble women get up while it is still dark (verse 15). I also noticed that the wives noted in these verses work vigorously at their tasks and their arms are strong (verse 16). This is the type of person I want to be... may God bring glory to Himself and strengthen our family, I humbly ask.

Dear Father, thank You for Your Word. Please help us be wives of noble character, waking up before the light of dawn to get our work done and to work vigorously at what You've given us to do. Strengthen our bodies, making us healthy and thin for Your glory, and help our families in the process. We love You and long to glorify You. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Go & Sin No More

"Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'" John 8:10-11

Recently I heard a remarkable message on this passage from John 8:1-11. Talking about the Scripture in its entirety first, let's go back a bit. If you remember, teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought this woman who was caught in the act of adultery to the temple courts. Making her stand in front of the entire group (probably as embarrassed as a person could be! and scared!), they questioned Jesus, reminding him that the law of Moses said that the woman should be stoned. They asked Him what He had to say on the subject, trying to trap Him by His answer. Verse 6 notes "But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger." I never noticed this point before, but as we were reading the passage together, I wondered to myself "what was He writing."

Beth Moore obviously wondered the same thing (I was watching the very last video from her "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things" session). In her speaking, she went back to Exodus 31:18, which says "When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God." When God gave Moses the "Law," He inscribed it with His own finger. Now we see Jesus, God Himself in the body of man, again writing with His finger. While we'll never know for sure exactly what He was writing, she said there were feasibly two audiences: either the woman or the accusers, and most likely the woman couldn't read because of the times. She said wouldn't it  be interesting if Jesus were again writing the law on the ground: You shall have no other gods before me; You shall not make for yourself an idol; You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God; Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy; Honor your father and mother; You shall not commit murder; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor; You shall not covet. John 8 continues in verse 7 by saying "When they kept on questioning Him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." And again in verse 8 we see "Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground." Beth Moore noted that Jesus knew these men, as He knows us. Wouldn't it be ironic if the very same law that these men were using to condemn these women was condemning them? None of us are without sin... and slowly but surely (the older ones first), each one began to go away one at a time until only Jesus was left.

Here's where these verses struck me. Jesus was without sin. But, He didn't condemn the woman who was caught in the act of sinning. However, just as Beth Moore also noted, He didn't excuse her behavior. He didn't make rationalizations. He didn't say "that's okay." He said He didn't condemn her, but He told her to "Go and leave your life of sin." Wow! What freedom!

As I was thinking of the sin of overeating and obesity, I thought about the feelings that woman would have had standing in front of the group. I've felt some of those same feelings as I'm in a group of thinner folks, especially. Picture being in a bathing suit with all skinny people around you. You feel embarrassed, ashamed, caught in your sin. You may not be as scared as the woman was, but I think I have been close as I've thought about the repercussions of obesity. My dad has diabetes, can't see very well, and the doctors told him that if he's not careful with his back and weight, he may lose his ability to walk. Since I'm very much like him, I've been scared of similar things happening to me. Scared enough to get on my knees and beg Jesus for mercy. I'm a sinner. I've done things I know are not right. I've eaten when I'm not hungry just because it tastes good. I've chosen bad things for my body. I've stood in front of the crowd and felt condemned.

But Jesus, the only One who will be left standing with us when it truly counts, tells us He doesn't condemn us. He doesn't tell us what we're doing is okay; instead He encourages us to go and leave our lives of sin. That's what I want today, more than anything. I want to walk away from the life of sin I've known and head a complete different direction with His help. Let's pray!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for revealing new things to us every day in your holy Bible. I appreciate Your kindness and the way You show us grace. Father, thank You for not condemning the woman. Help us as Christians not condemn others who are caught in sin, but rather lead them to You so that they can go and leave their life of sin. God, I also ask in Your precious grace that You would help us leave our lives of sin. I confess that I've been an over-eater and lazy most of my life. Help me go in a different direction all for Your glory. May You not regret not condemning me. Please allow me and those reading this to be instruments used for Your holy purposes. We praise You and thank You! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Do Not Dwell On the Past

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

Yesterday I was shopping at a used furniture store with my Dad. I was sitting in various chairs and telling him which ones I thought were better looking than others. An older woman came up to me and said "oh, if the skinny one sinks into it too far, then I'm not going to even try it." Looking at my Dad, she said "at this age, it matters more how you get in and out of it then it does how it looks. My Dad laughed and said "that's the truth!" I quipped "you must need your eyes examined, too, calling me skinny." We continued to joke, but I realized that I didn't picture myself thin at all - but God is doing a new thing. Right in the middle of the store, I told her how I prayed about my weight, I asked God to help me, I started reading my Bible searching for verses that would give me direction, and God has given me the motivation. He deserves all the credit and glory.

As I was looking through my Bible for another verse, I saw this verse highlighted and thought it was fitting. I need to forget always feeling like the obese one in the crowd. GOD is doing a new thing! I need to grasp hold of it and get on board! I can't dwell on the past if God has a new hope and future for me. If God is changing your life and looks, give Him the praise! And focus on what He's doing, not the sin of your past. Praise You, Jesus, for Your mercy and grace!

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us not dwell on being the fat one. Instead, make our focus on You and what You're doing in our lives. Lord, if You are calling us to be thin, help us perceive the new thing You are doing. And, we bow humbly before You to accept Your gracious gift. Thank You for Your mercy, Your grace, Your forgiveness, and Your amazing healing. We love You, Abba Father. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN!

Sorry for the Hiatus

I'm back to the blogging world! The last few months I've been busy grading papers, getting my gall bladder out (UGH!) and preparing for Christmas. But, I want to keep my commitment to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, body and strength (and blogging abilities!). To Him be the glory forever. If you're journeying on losing weight, may the Lord bless You as You seek Him and His word regarding the subject at hand. May You find Him along your journey!

A Wife's Body Belongs to Her Husband

^"The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife." 1 Corinthians 7:4

When I read this verse today, it made me reflect on all the reasons why I'm trying to lose weight. And I thought about how my husband deserves a sexy wife - something I never really felt I was able to give him.

Yesterday my husband gave me a $1,000 American Express gift card and told me to go shop for myself. I looked at him like he had grown another head on his body... what was he thinking? With the holidays coming, we don't have an extra thousand dollars for me to selfishly spend money on just me. And then he proceeded to tell me that he understands I need new clothes now that I've lost weight and he doesn't have a clue what to buy. But, mostly he told me how proud he was of me for losing 'big' and thought I needed a 'big' reward. I cried. I have tears in my eyes thinking about it now. I'm humbled. I don't deserve a reward - in fact, I never should have let myself get to the point I was at. And it's really God who deserves all the credit for the pounds I have lost. But, he told me that it took real work and real motivation for me to get started. He knew it wasn't easy. I couldn't believe my ears.

My husband isn't a man of many words. (It's one thing I love about him and yet can drive me crazy.) But, he is a man of action, which I think is more important. He has given me time to work out and encouraged me along the way. I've never really understood his love for me. God has truly given me a gift in that man! I was so encouraged by his being proud of me - I didn't need the gift card besides but it really put emphasis on his words. Now, I have no intention of spending that money on myself this time of year. But, the thought behind it still blows me away.

Now that I read that verse, I understand that this body is half his. I've been mistreating something that belongs to my husband, which makes me a little sad.

Thinking about it more, I want him to treat his body well because I want him to enjoy life. I want to be able to do things as a family and as a couple. I also want him to be around for the next 70 years (well... we might be defying the odds at that age, but you get the point!) to spend time with me. He told me that he feels the same way - he wants me to treat my body right so that we can enjoy life to the fullest together and be together for as long as possible. And, after reading this verse, I think it's okay to share all of this with you. It gave me new-found motivation to work out yesterday when I wanted to nap instead. And, I'm hoping that when you think of your spouse (or if you're not married, the thought of being with someone a long time) you'll have a new motivation to do the right things for your body.

Dear Heavenly Father, first I must thank You for my dear husband. You have once again astounded me with Your love for me that You would give me such a gift in my life partner. I'm grateful from the very depths of my heart. And, Lord, I thank You for our marriage. Father, thank You for binding us together. Lord, help me remember that my body also belongs to Him. Help me in treating it right so that we can enjoy each other more. And God, may You only receive honor, glory and praise for my weight loss. It has truly been the work of Your hands that I've been able to lose weight. May I continue to walk humbly with You as I continue on this journey to lose more and become healthy and thin for Your glory. I love You and long to honor You with all of me, including my body. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Dead to Sin

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." Romans 6:11-14

I love these verses because they tell us to rid our mortal bodies of sin and evil desires. Instead, we need to offer the parts of our body to God as instruments of righteousness. For, sin shall not be our master for we are under grace. Jesus has saved us from our past sins. Therefore, we no longer need to be a slave to our evil desires. I was talking to my overweight sister-in-law. And she said "I'm not going to NOT eat good food if it's in front of me." I thought about it for a long time. Do we have to give up things we find to taste good? Or can we have all things in moderation? What's the middle ground? Most of all, what does God tell us to do? After all, His opinion is the only one that matters to me.

I think God tells us that we can't be a slave to anything. If we can take food or leave it, it no longer has a grip on us. If we can go to a feast and be tempted and still say 'no, thank you' then we don't necessarily have to worry about can we eat this or that. But, if we are being mastered by our cravings, if we feel like we can't say no if there is something delicious near us (even if we're full, for example), if we are so caught up in the sin of overeating that we can't seem to lose weight or honor God with our bodies, then I think a change is necessary. I'm not saying what that change is... but I think the Holy Spirit will guide what needs to happen if we are pursuing righteousness through the Word of God. In the meantime, offer the parts of your body to the Lord as instruments of righteousness instead of sin. Do something healthy, do something for someone else, do whatever God calls You to do as His instrument. We no longer have to be slaves to meal time but can enjoy life and what God is calling us to do.

My prayer for each reader is that you no longer feel defeated or a slave to your past habits but that you truly sense the grace of God taking you on a new journey, one where you learn what is good for your body and what to do to be more like Jesus Himself.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your Word tells us that we're not under the law, we're not slaves to sin and instead we're under Your almighty grace. God, we confess that we've screwed up and let sin rule us, and we're so thankful for Your forgiveness and continued grace on this journey. Help us not give up. Let us know EXACT steps to take to offer our bodies to You as instruments of righteousness. May You use us for Your heavenly purposes here on earth. What a humbling thought! May we glorify and honor You with our bodies... please make us healthy, thin and beautiful and may we praise You every step of the way. In Jesus' name, AMEN!