Food, Food, I Exalt Thee
By Meredith Kendall
“For You, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.” Psalm 97:9
In 2011 I was the target of a gang attack. Through my ministry, my nickname was Preacher to the Streets, and I’d been working to get teens out of gangs. The trauma of being beaten and left for dead caused my body to react. In May of 2012, I couldn’t walk. I went to my chiropractor and told him he had thirty minutes to fix me. I was getting ready to board a plane and wanted to enjoy my vacation with my sister-in-laws.
Unfortunately, that’s not how my story ended. PTSD caused by the attack triggered food allergies, and I had a choice. I could continue to eat everything I loved and suffer pain, or avoid gluten, dairy, corn, soy, peanuts, egg whites, and eventually, watch my intake of carbs and refined sugars.
Today I walk, have lost 60 pounds, think more clearly, and am healthier than I have been in years. You can guess what I chose. Has it been easy? No! As I was reading today’s verse, I had to repent. It says “You,” God “are exalted far above all gods,” but my journal entry July 24, 2018, read, “Lord, please heal my body so I can have a piece of pizza. You know Lord, the kind with the thick crust, overloaded with toppings and so much cheese that it strings as I pull it from my mouth. I want to have the freedom to eat whatever I choose.”
I wanted to enjoy my god! Food had been competing with my Savior for the throne of my heart.
Understand there is nothing wrong with a good slice of pizza, but God clearly told me I needed to look at the hold my desires had over me. He is and deserves to be exalted over all the earth. I needed to make this true in my life. Is this true in your heart as well? If not, what is competing with your Creator?
Meredith Kendall, a contributor to Wholly Loved Ministries’ devotions, is a change agent, driven by her God-given passion to equip struggling families to achieve their unique God-given potential. As a nationally recognized sales leader, Meredith Kendall learned how to build bridges and make connections with the heart of what people need. God called her to co-found Advancing the Gospel which serves those who are often forgotten. Today she uses her gifting’s to help people understand the root causes of their struggles and find freedom through Christ. Visit her online at www.meredithsagekendall.com.
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