When Daniel refused to be defiled by eating the food of King Nebuchadnezzar’s court, he presented the guard with another option: “‘Test us for ten days,’ he said. ‘Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare us with the young men who are eating the food of the royal court, and base your decision on how we look.’ [The guard] agreed to let them try it for ten days. When the time was up, they looked healthier and stronger than all those who had been eating the royal food” (Daniel 1:12-15 GNT).
Daniel didn’t just eat haphazardly, accepting whatever was placed in front of him. He was intentional about what he ate.
When you think clearly about what you eat, God empowers you to continue to make good choices. Clear thinking leads to self-control.
By thinking ahead of time, you can prepare so that you won’t have a “food emergency.” This enables you to eat healthy meals and snacks that you packed ahead of time, and you won’t crash in the afternoon because you ate a greasy fast-food lunch.
Instead, you’ll be on top of your game, energized and ready to do whatever it is that God calls you to do. Being intentional, thinking clearly, and exercising self-control, will help you achieve your health goals and serve God well.
Talk It Over
Share three things you can do to think clearly and prepare in order to avoid a food emergency.
What time of day are you most likely to have a “food emergency”? How can you prepare for these times when you are vulnerable?
What changes do you notice in yourself when you practice mindful and intentional eating?
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