My Eating and Drinking
Basilea Schlink teaches that every act of eating and drinking can glorify God when done with thanksgiving and a heart of sacrifice.
In this devotional sermon, Basilea Schlink explores how everyday acts like eating and drinking can become powerful expressions of faith and worship. Drawing from the Apostle Paul's teachings, she encourages believers to approach their meals with thanksgiving, contentment, and a heart willing to offer small sacrifices for others. Schlink's message invites Christians to live out their redemption in all areas of life, glorifying God even in the simplest routines.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. Perhaps we believe in him and experience his reality in different areas of our lives, but what about our eating and drinking? What does God have to do with that? The following program by Basilea Schlink may be a great help to some of us. When the Apostle Paul wrote his letters to the Corinthians, he was writing to the rich and the poor, the influential and the humble.
His words in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 31 must have been meant for them all. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. What about our own lives? Is what we eat or drink too important to us? Are we too eager at the table so that we can scarcely wait until the food is passed to us? Do we gobble everything down quickly? Or are we perhaps very picky and choosy about what we eat? Now we have to eat and drink, otherwise we would starve to death.
However, the decisive issue is that we eat and drink before God. A person need not have an outward religious profession to bring glory to God. As the Apostle Paul says, everyone can bring God glory simply through his mealtimes.
When we are full of thanksgiving for the goodness of the Heavenly Father, when we are content with the way the meal has been prepared, we are already bringing praise to the Father. In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul warns us, What do these words living sacrifice mean in regard to our eating and drinking? If I am battling in prayer for a person's soul, I may decline to eat something that I especially like, as a little sign to the Lord that I am truly in earnest. And so I would say, Lord Jesus, please accept this small sacrifice out of love for you for this person or prayer request.
Let it be a living sacrifice, not a law or some kind of asceticism. When we take this attitude, everything that we eat and drink and everything that we do will bring glory to God. For then we are doing everything before Him, with Him and for Him.
Yes, we have been redeemed to bring glory to God also in our eating and drinking. Let me, Lord, go along with you, both joy and sorrow share with you, close at your side forever. Your instrument I long to be, Lord, transmit melody from me, whatever you will, my Savior.
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Sermon Outline
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I
- God's presence in everyday life
- The importance of eating and drinking before God
- Paul's instruction to glorify God in all things
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II
- Attitudes at the table: eagerness, pickiness, and contentment
- Thanksgiving as a way to glorify God
- Eating and drinking as acts of worship
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III
- Living sacrifice in eating and drinking
- Offering small sacrifices for others in prayer
- Doing all things before, with, and for God
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IV
- Redemption's impact on daily habits
- Desire to be an instrument for God
- Sharing joy and sorrow with the Lord
Key Quotes
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” — Basilea Schlink
“When we are full of thanksgiving for the goodness of the Heavenly Father, when we are content with the way the meal has been prepared, we are already bringing praise to the Father.” — Basilea Schlink
“Let it be a living sacrifice, not a law or some kind of asceticism.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- Approach every meal with gratitude and recognize it as an opportunity to honor God.
- Practice contentment by appreciating the food prepared without complaint or greed.
- Offer small sacrifices in your eating habits as a way to intercede for others and deepen your prayer life.