Once, when discussing how hungry I sometimes get through the day, my friend replied that when it came to eating he liked to stay topped off. Overeating—staying topped off—is an easy habit to adopt but a hard one to break. Unfortunately, I adhere to this peculiar diet way too often.

Jeremiah referred to another peculiar diet in this prayer to the Lord:

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.

Jeremiah took promises and commands from God and ate them. He ingested, savored, sated his hunger and enjoyed their fullness. I think of meals where the food is so good I can’t get enough, or on the flip side, the bitter taste of necessary medicine.

Eating means to consume, to ingest, to absorb and digest. I eat daily. When I skip meals my stomach reminds me of its emptiness, prodding me to dine once again.

I approach my time with the Bible in similar fashion. Like Jeremiah, I eat the words, both encouraging and challenging, ingesting them for the health of my soul and body and relationships.

In this case, staying topped off isn’t a health hazard, but a benefit to me and those around me.

Jeremiah 15 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Tim Mossholder