Glutton for God in a Fast Food World

My sunday school lesson for January 1st was titled "Thriving in a Fast-Food Culture," which really made me think about what it means to be healthy in an unhealthy world. We are pressured to look a certain way by magazines and different types of media, and the number of gyms popping up on every corner prove how obsessed America seems to be with looking good. Yet we still have fast food chains EVERYWHERE!! America seems to have the same concept I do about health: I eat salad or do crunches not to lose weight, but so I can have a cookie for dessert without feeling guilty. :-)

Proverbs 23:21 says that the "glutton shall come to poverty." Overeating leads to poverty not only because of the cost of food, but also because being overweight leads to health problems. However, I don't think this verse is simply talking about overeating. We use the phrases "a glutton for punishment" or "a glutton for work" to describe people who seem to have a great desire for these things. When one becomes a glutton for any aspect of life, that aspect starts to influence - even, in some cases, control - all the other aspects.

What are you a glutton for- work, school, food, alcohol, cigarettes, deer hunting, shopping, Facebook, television? Most of these things aren't bad for you in moderation; however, when your desire for them starts to take over and harm other aspects of your life, then you have a problem. When you can't wait to get home from work every day so you can sit on the couch and watch TV all night when you could be spending quality time with your family, you've become a glutton for TV. When you become so engrossed in one thing, you neglect others.

Wouldn't it be great if we all became gluttons for God, that our desire for Him outweighed all other desires and engrossed every aspect of our lives? Becoming a glutton for God is difficult in this fast food get-what-you-want-without-the-wait notions because as Christians we have to wait for God, wait for His answers, wait for His guidance, wait for things to happen in His time. God isn't a drive through where we yell our requests into a microphone then drive around to the window expecting our prayers to be answered by the time we get there. He doesn't work like that, but His Bread of Life and Living Water are much more satisfying that anything this fast food society can offer.

Psalm 25

¹Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
²O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
³Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
⁴Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
⁵Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
⁶Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
⁷Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
⁸Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
⁹The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
¹⁰All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
¹¹For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
¹²What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
¹³His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
¹⁴The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
¹⁵Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
¹⁶Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
¹⁸Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
¹⁹Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
²⁰O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
²¹Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
²²Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.