“Chew your food!” Come on, you know every parent out there has had to say that a few hundred times. Kids are in too big of a hurry to get back to playing to take the time to chew before they swallow. Why does that matter?
Well, besides the fact we don’t want them to choke, chewing is the beginning of the process of digestion, and it’s an important step! Digestion is the process of your body breaking down the food you eat into substances that can be absorbed and used by your body. Chewing is the action that starts that process. According to heathline.com, it’s commonly agreed that we should be chewing each bite of food 32 times before we swallow. Whoa! Go try that and get back to me!
Food is not the only thing that we take in with the intent of absorbing it to be used by the body...or mind....or spirit for that matter. We know that The Word is our daily bread, meant to be taken in for nourishment every day. The issue sometimes isn’t taking it in, but taking the time to truly digest the words we are reading or hearing.
Just as taking smaller bites and taking time to chew matter at meal times, they matter as we take in God’s word as well. Let’s take a look at how we can better digest the word of God so that it can be better absorbed and used to nourish our souls.
[2Ti 3:16-17 NLT] 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Have you ever caught yourself reaching for the chips only to realize....you aren’t even hungry? Sometimes it’s important for us to stop and remember why we are eating in the first place before that first bite even touches our lips. Food is a gift from God to provide fuel for our bodies, just as the word of God is a gift to provide sustenance for our spirit. Before you open your Bible, remember why you are reading these words. They are so much more than just ink on a page. Each bite is nourishment to take you into your day. Allow the Holy Spirit to use the words you are about to bury in your heart to teach you what is true and bring to light what needs brought to light.
[Psa 1:2 NLT] 2 But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.
Have you ever had a dessert so decadent that you take tiny little bites just to make it last longer? Digestion starts with the size bite we take. I have teased my husband for years that his mouth is an endless cavern; the man takes HUGE bites of food! I often ask him if he even has a chance to taste what he is eating. Psalm 1:2 (nlt) says, “But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.” Instead of trying to cram as much scripture in as you can each day, why not take smaller bites? Take your time and meditate on one or two scriptures and let the flavor of God’s love really become a delight.
[Psa 119:103 NLT] 103 How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey
It’s so important that we remember reading the word of God is not a chore to get through, it’s a delight to savor. Take your time and enjoy the moment, don’t shove it in as fast as you can to get on with your day. Let it linger in your heart and meditate on it throughout your day. Remember that heathline.com fact about chewing 32 times? Reading a scripture just once and moving on with your day cuts it short of releasing the flavor and nutrients that allow us to savor and the words to be used in us. Take a bite, close your eyes, and allow the flavor to fill your senses.