Thursday (A Proverb a Day)

Are you feasting on pure things that will satisfy your soul, or are you settling for something convenient and quick but feeling unsatisfied?

Thursday (A Proverb a Day)

This week's devotions are written by my son, Bryant Forshee, Lead Student Pastor for Cross Church, Springdale, AR campus.

- Pastor Danny

"Every word of God is pure..."

(Proverbs 30:5a, CSB)

For those who may not know, I am a youth pastor up in Northwest Arkansas. Wednesdays in general are my long days: we start at 8:00 a.m. and go til about 9:00 or 9:30 p.m. Now, don't get me wrong, though the days are long, Wednesdays are also my FAVORITE days! I get to hang out with the students, worship, preach, serve with my family, and do even more things that absolutely fill me up... but every Wednesday night I have a battle in my mind that starts when I get in my car to head home.

The battle is this: McDonalds or no McDonalds?

I am a SUCKER for a 4b Spicy Chicken sandwich with a large fry and large Sprite. Now, I will admit, typing this out makes me question my self-control and wonder why I often succumb to the pressure of the golden arches. The worst part is not even that I know the exact combo number and subscript that goes with it, but it's the feeling I have after I eat the 4b with the large side and drink. What I have found is that after I indulge and eat this big meal in 4.5 minutes, I feel terrible; I feel sluggish; I feel like a greasy french fry; I honestly feel gross. The other kicker is that I then go to sleep and get horrible readings from my fitness watch about my sleep, and it's just a rough end to a great day.

Why do I share this with you? I'm telling you all this because what I am choosing to put in my body is not pure, and I am feeling its effects on my body afterward! ...and this ties directly into our focal verse for today.

What I love about Proverbs 30 is that there is a nugget (pun intended!) of wisdom in the first part of verse 5. It plainly says, "Every word of God is pure." Now, far exceedingly better than a McDonalds 4b is the pure Word of God. The Word of God quenches our soul's thirst for truth, comfort, joy, peace, and a plethora of other things. The pure Word of God tells us of God's love for us and the great lengths to which He demonstrated that love. The pure Word of God tells us how we should live the rest of our lives in this world. The pure Word of God has so many lasting and fulfilling benefits that they are too numerous to put into one devo or even a million devos.

Today: Ask yourself this: "Am I feeding my spirit the pure Word of God or a spiritual McDonald's 4b?"

Are you feasting on things that will satisfy your soul and promise to be pure and enriching? Or are you settling for something convenient and quick for instant gratification but feeling unsatisfied overall? Are you choosing God's Word or social media? Are you choosing God's Word or extra sleep? Are you choosing God's Word or TV?

Today: Make the CHOICE to feast on the pure Word of God!