Day Two Hundred Seventy-Three “Zuppa Toscano”
There is nothing quite so satisfying on a brisk winter night as a bowl of rich, hearty soup. My dad, a first-generation immigrant from Italy, was a pure master when it came to the kitchen, especially regarding soups and stews. One trip to the small garden in our back yard and he could throw together a stunning meal. Once considered an inexpensive meal for those who were underprivileged, soup had earned increasing popularity, especially among a health-conscious generation. There is a saying native to southern Italy that states, sette cose fa la zuppa, which translates soup does seven things. Soup relieves your hunger, quenches you thirst, fills your stomach, cleans your teeth, makes you sleep, helps you digest, and colors your cheeks. Seven soup advantages…that’s a lot of satisfaction in one bowl!
But one thing far surpasses the satisfaction of that warm, steaming bowl of soup, and that’s God’s Word. Our Father, through His precious Word, “satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul.” His Word is sweet to my taste, “sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Not only does He satisfy our hunger, but also our thirst as we “desire the sincere milk of the word,” growing on the nourishment He provides. And I am never fuller than when I feast upon “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Hmmm, soup fact number four, cleans your teeth. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” God’s Word cleans ALL of us. Jesus even pleaded with His Father that He might “Sanctify them through thy Word,” for it is only through the Word that our lives are cleansed and renewed.
The makes you sleep soup benefit certainly perks up this confirmed insomniac’s ears. But on those nights when I lie awake into the wee hours, I can sing with the psalmist that “I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself…in the night.” Pondering God’s Word and His wondrous works throughout the ages is calming and comforting, much better than soup. Our digestive system is intricately connected to our brain; what affects the brain impacts digestion. Stress can wreak havoc on the digestive system as blood and energy are diverted away from the digestive process. “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.” Calming peace is supplied to us as we become acquainted with the Father through the Word.
But lastly, there’s the colors your cheeks factor. “The entrance of thy words giveth light,” and that light can shine in my life and on my countenance if I allow the Holy Spirit to use those words to conform me to His image. Enjoy the benefits of a healthy bowl of God’s Word soon!
Psalm 119:16 I delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy Word.
Lord, thank You for Your precious Word, those words that satisfy my soul, bring inner peace and comfort, provide cleansing, and bring light to my countenance.
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