The Three P's

Most people have a favorite meal.  For some, it's steak.  Others prefer homemade pasta.  A few desire a big pot of soup or chili.  My husband doesn't actually have a favorite meal.  He claims that he likes all food.  I, on the other hand, definitely have a favorite meal.  Around our house, we call it "The Three P's."  It's my preferred meal for casual celebration.  It's the meal I desire when I'm tired and simply don't feel like cooking or making a mess in the kitchen that I finally got around to cleaning.  This tasty treat is also what I request when I'm feeling down and discouraged.  Have I peaked your curiosity?  Good.  The "Three P's" consists of pizza, Pepsi and a piece of chocolate cake.  (Oops, pardon the drool.  The "Three P's" tend to evoke that kind of reaction in me.)

Ah, yes!  To me, there's nothing tastier than a hot supreme pizza and a slice of icing-laden chocolate cake, complete with a cold Pepsi to wash it down.  (Oops, there goes that drool again.  My poor keyboard is going to drown if I keep this up.)  My point is that my favorite meal is my favorite for many different reasons.  First off, it's just yummy.  Second, it's typically an easy, no-mess affair.  Third, the meal consists of three of my main comfort foods.  What's not to like?

That last point crossed my mind this morning as I fantasized about my perfect meal.  Comfort food. Now there's a dangerous thing.  The Bible does say that God satisfies our mouths with good things, but there comes a point where food becomes more than He ever intended it to be.  God gave us food for nourishment, not for encouragement.  It's supposed to satisfy our mouths, not our souls.  It is not meant to take the place of God as our Comforter.  Yet, so often, that's exactly what we allow to happen.  When we're happy, we eat!  When we're sad, we eat!  Celebrating?  Let's eat.  Mourning?  Well, we can eat then, too.  What's up with that?

I think it's time for me to discover a new favorite meal. Thankfully, it can still be called "The Three P's," only this time, instead of consisting of fatty foods and caffeinated beverages, it consists of prayer, praise and peace.  In prayer, I can take anything to God.  Good, bad, encouraging, frustrating--it doesn't matter.  I can go to Him with anything, and best of all, I can leave it at His feet.  In praise, I can rejoice in all that God has done for me, but more than that, in Who He is.  As for the peace, well, that actually comes when I practice the first two.  Isaiah 26:3 says, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Did you catch that?  Keep your mind on the things of God, and peace will follow.  It's kind of hard to pray and praise without having your mind on God, isn't it?  On the other hand, it's quite easy to scarf down pizza, cake and soda without giving God a minute's thought.  Hmm!

When I want a yummy meal that's relatively hassle free, "The Three P's" will work fine.  When I need comfort or somewhere to drown my sorrows, it's time to call on "The New Three P's."  Spend time in God's presence.  Cast my cares on Him.  Bless His name and recall His benefits.  Allow His peace to spread through me.  And rejoice in the fact that the comfort I received didn't contain a single calorie, something which cannot be said of the pizza, cake and soda.