Genesis 2:15-16: And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. [King James Translation]
Definition - "Genesis" – mean "beginnings" "birth" or "origin"; the coming into being of something.
Beginning
The book of Genesis, the first book of the Jewish Torah and Christian Bible is about beginnings---the origin of the heaven and earth, the creation of the sun, the moon, the stars, animal life, marine life and plant life. Genesis describes the creation of the first man, first woman, the first sin, the origin of sin and the first homicide. It also describes GOD's commandment regarding the first meal.
Eating Raw
For those who decide to eat raw fruits, raw vegetables, drink water and tea, meditate on scripture and pray with and for others in a church "fellowship" it is a beginning too. Often, when someone joins this fellowship and starts to eat raw, one of their first concerns if they have not eaten raw before is "what to eat."
What to Eat
Actually, it turns out that there is plenty to eat. Genesis states that there were trees in the garden of Eden from which man could eat. Today, there are still trees from which mankind can enjoy a good raw fruit meals. There is not only a great number but a great variety as well. Some of the trees with eatable fruit include:
- Apple
- Apricot
- Avocado
- Banana
- Carambola (Starfruit)
- Cherry
- Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Lime, etc.)
- Coconut
- Durian
- Fig
- Guava
- Jujube
- Jackfruit
- Mango
- Medlar
- Morello cherry
- Olive
- Pear
- Peach and Nectarine
- Persimmon
- Plum
- Pomegranate
- Sweet Chestnut
- Tamarillo
And, this is just a list of some of the trees. In addition to fruit from trees, there is fruit from bushes, numerous vegetables, nuts, seeds and other raw foods. A walk down the fresh produce sections of the store or a visit to a farmer's market can reveal just how many varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables there are.
Benefits of Eating Raw
Some of the benefits of eating raw include:
- Raw foods tend to be of better nutritional quality, therefore, you eat less;
- Raw foods have more vitamins and nutrients than cooked foods;
- Raw foods have more "natural" flavors than cooked foods, so there is less need to add salt, sugar, spices or other condiments;
- Raw foods tend to have the best balance of nutrients, water and fiber for meeting the body's needs;
- Raw foods save you money on utility costs (e.g. gas and electric and other appliances used to cook or heat meals);
- Raw foods tend to lower the risk of certain diseases and illnesses;
- Raw foods are more environmentally friendly (e.g. eliminates the need for cans, paper, plastic and other items necessary for processing and cooking foods);
- Raw foods tend to take less time to prepare than cooked foods.
See, www.living-foods.com. There are also a number of websites for finding recipes for raw food dishes. One site that has a collection of raw foods recipes is:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/beverage1/tp/topraw.htm
From Beginnings to Revelation
Eating raw is just a beginning. Over time, and as we learn more about foods and healthy living, the focus may turn from "what to eat" to "what not to eat" (e.g. such as avoiding sugared-beverages, high sodium foods, etc.). On Wednesdays, we pray that GOD reveal how we individually and collective as a "body of believers" can achieve greater spiritually health as we feast on GOD's written word. Eating a raw food meal on a Wednesday, studying a Wednesday scripture, praying on a Wednesday is just "a beginning." May we achieve greater clarity every day in doing HIS WILL.
If you are a "new beginner," welcome! Every prayer counts! If you are an "older beginner," Thank You! Every prayer counts! We are all in this together.
Enjoy the day, enjoy the journey and Be Blessed!
