Comfort Food for the Soul…
“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
~ Psalm 71:1-3 (ESV)
Do you have a comfort food? I do. No, it is not chocolate (although I do like chocolate – a lot), but mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes remind me of home; so once in a while I have to make them. Mind you, mine are not nearly as good as my mom’s, but they still taste good.
Last night when I made mashed potatoes and cauliflower, I thought about comfort food for the soul. The Psalms have been my comfort food. I am not sure why they have comforted me more than any other Bible passages. Maybe because most of them are written when God’s people have been in distress.
“Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.
~ Psalm 71:4-6 (ESV – emphasis mine)
Yes, I can trust my Lord for comforting me, because He is always there—I just have to reach for Him. And so can you too, my dear beloved. Making mashed potatoes takes a little time, but reaching out to the Lord only takes a second. Next time you need some comfort food, reach for your Bible, pick a Psalm and pray through it. I know it settles me down. Not only is His Word comforting, but it is also calorie-free.
Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank You for being my comfort food in times of stress. You are my Hope, my Rock I can lean on when I am weak. Lord, remind me when I am down to reach for You and Your comforting words. In the precious name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen.
Beautiful post Iris. The Psalms are very special to me as well. Begin my prayer each day with a Psalm. I just read them over and over and each time they speak to me in new ways.
Such a precious post my friend, bless you.
Love this post Iris. You know the Psalms are my source of comfort. I never put down my Bible without reading one.