The Best Comfort Food Ever

Jeremiah 15:16 “Thy words were found and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”

Dear Kids:

Most of us are addicted to comfort. We don’t like things to be out of sorts or difficult. Any kind of pain – physical or emotional – usually drives us to search for ways to relieve our distress. This is why many mitigate their emotions with “comfort foods.”

Comfort Foods Make Us Feel Good For a While

Comfort foods, such as Grandma’s gooey macaroni and cheese, trigger good memories. But they also cause our brain to release endorphins and serotonin. These chemicals produce a good feeling that can override our emotions and lift our mood. But the effects are only short-lived. There must be something better to truly alleviate our emotional struggles.

Jeremiah lived in a time of great distress. Judah had turned away from God and serious judgment lingered just around the corner. God called the prophet Jeremiah to speak words of truth to a stubborn people, but they would not listen. Instead they persecuted him because they did not like his message. If anyone needed some comfort food to alleviate stress this messenger of God certainly did . . . and he found the perfect thing to bring Him consolation in a very difficult situation.

The Best Comfort Food Ever

Jeremiah chewed on the very words of God. He shared all his fears with the Lord in prayer and consoled himself by internalizing the words of comfort God spoke back to him. “Thy words were found and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”

God promised to make Jeremiah a fortified wall of bronze. Though people would fight against him they would not prevail. God assured him He would be with Him, deliver him from the hand of the wicked, and redeem him from the grasp of the violent.

These powerful words spoken by the Lord of Hosts provided Jeremiah the best comfort food around. Despite all the evil and difficulties that surrounded him, the promises of God rang true and overrode all the fears and negative emotions he felt. And this was not a temporary fix. God would be faithful and do what He said He would.

So when you are stressed, uncomfortable, or struggling with emotional pain don’t rely only on Grandma’s gooey macaroni and cheese. It may taste good and bring some temporary relief but it can never give you what you really need. Instead open your mouth and devour the best comfort food you will ever eat. Savor God’s word and it will become for you, like it did for Jeremiah, the joy and delight of your heart.

Love,
Mama