When Food Is An Idol

Eve had passed the tree at least a hundred times. It was magnificent, standing like a mighty tower in the middle of the Garden of Eden, loaded with delicious, mouth-watering delights. Eve was convinced it held the sweetest fruit in the garden. However, she had never tasted it. God had told Eve and her husband, Adam, not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Therefore, Eve had kept her distance. One day, though, something caught her eye. She stopped to take a look.

As she stood beneath the branches, Eve considered the possibility that God didn’t want them to eat of the tree because He knew they would gain wisdom and be like Him if they did. Yes, God had been extremely gracious by granting them free reign of the garden. But, if He truly loved them, why would He deny them this one pleasure? After all, the fruit looked scrumptious, and she was hungry. Surely God would understand.

Eve reached up and pulled the fruit down to her lips. She bit into it. Wow, she thought. This is amazing. Even better than I expected! Eve’s taste buds danced with delight. Closing her eyes, she savored the explosion of flavor, not wanting the edible ecstasy to end. Eve took another bite. And another. The taste was absolutely heavenly. She offered some fruit to Adam, who was standing near her, and he ate as well.

Immediately, Eve’s eyes were opened, and the sweetness on her tongue turned bitter. She felt nauseous. The reality of what had just occurred hit her like tidal wave. Eve wasn’t just guilty of a culinary crime. She had committed a grievous sin by worshiping the god of her stomach. The consequences of Eve’s momentary indulgence reached far beyond the garden, sending out ripples of devastation that engulfed her marriage, family, descendants, and all of mankind.

It’s easy for us to look back on that fateful day and place blame on Adam and Eve for all of our problems. We say, “If only they hadn’t….” However, we shouldn’t be too hard on them for being weak and giving into temptation. The Bible says in Romans 3:10, “No one is righteous – not even one (ESV).” Had we been in the same situation, we would have walked in their footsteps. Actually, we do. We consume the forbidden fruit every day.

In our society, where eating is practically a hobby, we often seek fulfillment in created things, such as food. When we’re happy, we celebrate by going out for dinner. During sad times, we treat ourselves to a sugary dessert. God’s Word says that everything He created is good (1 Timothy 4:4a). However, food was never meant to be our friend. Nor was it designed to be our comforter. The purpose of food is to nourish our bodies so that we’re physically equipped to serve God and advance His kingdom. Although there’s nothing wrong with enjoying what we eat, it should not be the focus of our lives.

Do you struggle as Eve did by saying“Yes!” to your flesh and “No!” to God when it comes to food? Do you find yourself thinking about food all the time, eating when you’re not hungry, or bingeing to the point of making yourself sick? If so, I pray that you’ll find strength and hope over the next week as I explore the issue of food addiction and how prayer and fasting can bring victory to this area of your life.

“Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy (Psalm 63:3-5, NLT).”

Lord God, you know my heart’s desire is for you. Many times, though, I seek love and acceptance in things and chase after other gods. I confess my sin to you. Please cleanse me of all unrighteousness and renew a right spirit within me. Restore my unwavering devotion to you so that I flee from any form of idolatry. Thank you, Father, for your unfailing love. You are the only One who satisfies.