I love all-you-can-eat buffets. A few days ago I was thinking about a buffet restaurant my wife and I love to go to for lunch dates. I pictured in my mind the arrangement of the food, the variety of dishes that had fish, meat, vegetables, and sidings, and I also thought of how the food was kept in such a large quantity, always ready for hungry people to partake of.

It would be quite weird if I got only one kind of food the whole time, and being the food lover that I am, I would get at least three different kinds every time I went to the buffet table. And yes, I had more than two huge servings, enough to satisfy my appetite.

A Sudden Realisation

As I was thinking of our lunch date in that restaurant, I realised one very important thing that I want to share with you, dear reader. No, it's not the food. It's about the variety.

You don't go into a buffet, or dinner party, or live every day eating the same old thing. Having just one food item repeated in every meal is not only boring and monotonous; it's also unhealthy and lacks nutrition.

This is the same thing that happens to us when we read the Bible. We can't stay in just one topic or book for the rest of our lives. We have to desire more of God's Word, not just John 3:16!

Complete Nutrition

If we want to be healthy, we need a complete mix of food items that includes some meat, a lot of veggies and fruits, and even more carbohydrates. It would be unwise to eat just one kind of food all the time.

The Bible contains 66 books, all of them having different scenarios, people, themes, and messages. Yet at the core of all these books is the love of God shown through Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.

In the same way, we need to have a mix of food items. We need to "eat" the Word of God as a whole for us to be healthy. We must desire to know God's Word from Genesis to Revelation.

Carbs Alone?

You see, friends, carbs alone won't suffice. We need other nutrients, too. In the same way, meditating about God's love alone is not enough. We need to see Him as the holy and righteous judge who will condemn sin, the Father who disciplines those whom He loves, and the Provider who provides all that we need even for our enjoyment. We can't compartmentalise God as just a loving God and forget that He hates sin!

We need to live by the Word of God. In the same way a healthy body is sustained by a variety of healthy foods, a healthy Spirit is nourished by the whole counsel of the Word of God.

Remember friends, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)