Seeking A Drop of Water

Delight yourself also in the Lord. Psalm 37:4 

Are you in a season of crawling through a dry desert, panting for just a drop of spiritual water? (Psalm 42:1-4)

One explanation is that we keep up guardrails, not allowing ourselves to be fully relational and intimate with the Lord. Just as each interaction with an earthly best friend is not always the same, why should we expect our prayers and conversations with Jesus to stay in one gear? It's lifeless, as we “rinse and repeat” with Him.

Delight in the Lord! There’s an energizing refreshment of living water in truly sitting with Him. Openly recount your life journey together. Do you reminisce on the good times with a smile, and the funny moments with a chuckle? His wondrous miracles, the dark storms, and people who have been in your life, each of these elements- painful, pleasant, joyful- are a precious thread of many colors. Oh, the Master Weaver, weaving a beautiful one-of-a-kind tapestry of our life! Though His needle is sharp, we thank Him, for His tool helps create a Christ-like masterpiece of us.

However, we miss experiencing the treasure of varying our worship, to lean in and talk openly and sincerely with our Lord and Savior. Yes, our conversations with Him can be worship.

Perhaps you have a best friend who you’ve known for many years. In conversation, you may ask, “Do you remember when…”, followed by a recollection of a delightful memory together. Your friend laughs, adding more detail or commentary. It’s a blessing to have such conversations with a friend.

How would your life change if you had similar, yet much more intimate conversations with the Lord? How would your life change if you became like a child, crawling up into your Heavenly Father’s lap, and openly speaking to Him about whatever is on your mind?

He Knows You. The Lord planned and designed you for His good pleasure. He has been with you every zeptosecond of your life, and knows you better than you know yourself, for He knew you before the creation of the universe, and knows your future into eternity (Ephesians 1:4-6, Jeremiah 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:9). There’s not one person walking this earth who knows you as intimately as Jesus, experiencing every moment in your life, and living it with you.

How is this possible? As a follower of Christ, the life that He lives in you is far more intimate than any other relationship you can ever have, for He said, “I am in the my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:20, John 15:5).

Unlike an earthly friend, Christ knows the reason behind all things in your life, and can reveal them as he sees fit. He knows why an event or circumstance needed to happen, in order for the next event to take place. He celebrates with you when you are thankful, and laments and gives wisdom where there was foolishness. You can speak to Him without shame for past sins that have been forgiven, for He has forgiven you wholly and completely (Hebrews 8:12).

And unlike an earthly friend, you can come to Jesus at any time of the day or evening. You’ll never need to schedule an appointment, and He’ll never cancel on you.

However, we feel we can’t speak to God so openly, though we long to get to know Him. After all, He is the Alpha and Omega, the creator of the universe, and the judge of good and evil. And yet, God spoke to Moses “as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). Mary joyfully and humbly sat at Jesus’s feet (Luke 10:38-42). The apostle John leaned back against Jesus (John 13:25). We can sit at His feet. We can lean back against Jesus too, and take rest in Him. We can speak like a beloved and cherished friend, but keeping complete reverence for Him as the King of Kings, our holy Lord and Savior.

I’ve found that in these Spirit-led occasions of speaking to the Lord in this conversational way, it changes my prayer life. I pray over things that I would normally overlook. The details of what I pray over and who I pray for become much more specific. And as the Holy Spirit leads me, I find many people and circumstances to pray over, which also has a connection to the things I’m thankful for, or that I’m struggling with as well.

These conversations bring me closer to the Lord (James 4:8). I become more spiritually wise and discerning in the Spirit, for Jesus can freely move within me at any time He wishes- I am in Him, and He is in me, and we are one, just as He and the Father are one (John 17:20-23, John 14:20).

What else can we do?

► Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can spend time together in a fresh way

► Sit with the Lord. Reminisce on moments from the past together- hardships and struggles, deliverances, blessings, outcomes, lessons learned, and spiritual growth.

► When reading scripture that quotes Jesus, close your eyes and imagine Him saying it. Imagine what it would have been like to be there, hearing Him speak. 

► Read different translations of the Bible and compare scripture. For example, read a scripture in the King James Version against the New International Version

► Use an app that has a Bible commentary on scripture, written by theologians and Bible scholars, to get more insight on a particular passage. The following is a great resource that you can download as a phone app: biblehub.com

► Get recommendations on new Christian books and devotionals

► Spend time with other people by serving them. Not just serving the people who look like us and living in our neighborhood, but also those living in different parts of town, with differing ethnicities, education, and backgrounds.

► Create a prayer closet in your home

► Most importantly, don’t forget to just sit with the Lord, knowing you’re in His presence. Let Him know if He wants to speak, “Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). Enjoy the time in His presence. 

And if you feel this is for you right now, you can pray:

Lord God, I come to you today simply desiring to just sit and reverently talk with you. You know every detail of my life- past, present, and future. No one knows me better than you, and you love me anyway, sending your perfect Son to die in my place, so that I can spend eternity with you. I pray that you lead me, to allow me to lean in and be transparent with you, and break down the guardrails that I’ve unknowingly built between us. Refresh me, and give me a surge of your spiritual energy, reigniting my passion and love for you. I pray all these things in your most Holy Name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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Health

Seed Oils and Fats: What You Can Do

Seed oils are often found in ultra-processed foods and can contribute to inflammation in your body. They have high levels of omega-6 fats, which can lead to inflammation. Here are the most common seed oils used in cooking and packaged foods:

• Canola oil (aka rapeseed oil)

• Corn oil

• Cottonseed

• Grapeseed oil

• Soybean oil

• Sunflower oil

• Safflower oil

• Rice bran oil

• Peanut oil

Seed oils are chemically processed, which may include cleaning, pressing, bleaching, deodorizing, refining and, in some cases, adding a chemical solvent hexane for oil extraction. The processing of these oils strips the seeds of their nutrients and could potentially add harmful ingredients.

They’re considered unhealthy because of how they’re most often used in processed foods and ultra-processed foods.

As mentioned, seed oils have high levels of omega-6 fats. A diet that’s too high in omega-6s is also a diet that’s typically too low in omega-3 fatty acids.

This type of imbalance is thought to lead to inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is linked to conditions like:

• Arthritis

• Heart disease

• Metabolic syndrome

• Stroke

• Type 2 diabetes

As an alternative, do most of your home cooking with oils that are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids:

• Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) for low-heat cooking

• Avocado oil for high-heat cooking

Other heart-healthy oils you can use are:

• Coconut

• Fish oil

• Flax oil

• Animal fats 

EAT PLENTY OF GOOD FATS

• Butter - on bread, vegetables, meat, porridge, etc.

• Lard, bacon fat, duck fat and goose fat for cooking

• Tallow - for deep frying

• Olive Oil - for salad dressings

• Coconut Oil - for medium-chain fatty acids

• Cod Liver Oil - for vitamins A and D

When it comes to animal fats, grass or pasture-fed is best. Animal fats like butter, lard, bacon fat, duck fat and goose fat are rich sources of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K2.

AVOID THE BAD FATS

• Industrially processed liquid vegetable oils (corn, soy, canola, safflower, sunflower)

• “Healthy” low-trans spreads

• Partially hydrogenated vegetables oils (margarine and shortening)

• Commercial fried foods

• Processed foods containing these industrial fats and oils

• Industrial fats and oils are the number one problem in the modern diet. They are the main cause of chronic disease, and they replace the nutrient-dense animal fats that nourished our ancestors.

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_{†All health information in the articles is exclusively gathered from clinical/medical resources that have been industry vetted, with no conflict of interest in the information they present/publish.} 

_{*Holy Nutrition does not diagnose, treat, or give medical advice. Information provided is not medical advice and should not be relied upon for diagnosis or treatment. Consult with a healthcare provider or medical practitioner for any health concerns, questions, or before making any decisions related to your health. Individual health conditions and needs may vary, and therefore, professional medical advice is essential for personalized guidance. Holy Nutrition is not responsible for any harm or damage resulting from the user's reliance on the information contained in the articles.}