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, but stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes. This dish reminds me of home; so once in a while I have to make stuffed peppers. Mind you, mine are not nearly as good as my mom's, but they still taste good. I had the urge to make twice this past month...

When I made the peppers this past Sunday, 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 stuffed papers takes 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.

I want to wish you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving. May He be your comfort this holiday and always.