a woman and her food

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

This sounds like a story of a woman who was shopping at Whole Foods, doesn't it? But no, it's from Genesis 3:6. Isn't it fascinating that the first sin of man is a woman seduced by the serpent in the area of what she is eating and feeding her family?

As a woman who feels one of my primary functions is feeding my family, I am appalled when I consider this was the first sin.  It was a woman and her food.  And here we are so many years later, and this is the thing I am struggling with.  Food.

Many women these days are chronic dieters.  I am not. But last spring I did a study group called Made to Crave and lost 10 pounds. This winter, all ten of them found me again.  Sigh.  But the study did teach me something very important.

It is not about the diet.  It is about repentance.

Because there will always be temptation.  Specifically with food.  See the photo of the goodies that tend to magically appear in our break-room at work?  I can't always avoid the temptation.  It seems to follow me around!!

I need to see it for what it is, not something beautiful, good and to be desired, but something that is dangerous and can hurt me if I am not careful.  Not that I can never eat anything sweet again, but the fact is, my mom is now struggling with type-2 diabetes.  It will happen to me too, if I do not take steps to be more careful today.


 Later on, Genesis 4:7 tells of God saying: "Watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."  That's it, I can feel it too, sin crouching at my door, ready to pounce, if I open it a crack and let it in.

It is all about where my faith lies.  Do I believe that I know what is best in my life?  Do I believe I can tell what I can handle and what I cannot?  That's what Eve thought.  She was dead wrong.

Father, there are so many desires, so many voices.  Help me to to listen to Yours above all.  Help me to flee temptation, and when I cannot, when it sits and stares me in the face in the office break-room, help me to stand strong and be its master!