Choosing Your Own Food

WHEN you go to the corner grocer, who selects your food? Do you tell the grocer you want a bag of groceries and let him give you whatever he wants to? Or do you have a list of just what you want in the way of staples, fruits and vegetables, etc.? Of course you pick your groceries yourself, for you know just what you need in the way of starches, proteins, vitamins and minerals and fats to keep you healthy.

Now Jesus said that “man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4, NW) Yes, we do need spiritual food. And since the right kind of spiritual food is just as necessary for our spiritual health as the right kind of material food is for our bodily health, we should be just as careful in seeing that we get a rounded-out supply of spiritual food as we are to get such for our bodies. In fact, we should be even more selective since physical health merely means freedom from pain for the proverbial threescore years and ten, whereas spiritual health means everlasting life in happiness.

Most persons, however, go to their spiritual groceryman, the clergyman, priest, rabbi or minister, and let him choose for them whatever he wishes without ever giving it a thought whether they are getting a rounded-out spiritual diet or not. Such a course is not wise. You may not be getting just what you really need.

For example, do you ever wonder why an almighty, wise, just and loving God has permitted so much suffering and wickedness? Or why your sincere prayers have gone unanswered, especially in time of war or illness? Are you in a quandary as to whether to believe what God’s Word states regarding creation or to accept the theories of most scientists? Have you wondered about the kingdom Jesus told us to pray for? When it will come and how? Or whether it has been on earth since the time of Jesus or not?

If you have such questions as these in your mind, then it is apparent that you are among those hungering and thirsting for righteousness; you are among those conscious of their spiritual need; among those sighing and crying for the abominations you see being done in the land. (Matt. 5:6, 3, NW; Ezek. 9:4) And it also is apparent that in spite of the help of your spiritual groceryman, your clergyman, you are not getting a well-balanced supply of spiritual food from the spiritual grocery store, the Bible. So why not go directly to the Bible yourself? for it contains answers to all these questions and many more. To help you to do this is the purpose of this magazine.