Acts 27:33

Acts 27:33 says, And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.  Paul encouraged them to eat, to "take some meat."  He said that this was the fourteenth day they had fasted.  I don't believe they had eaten nothing for that time, and that is Matthew Henry's understanding as well.  They had simply eaten what they could and still work to save the ship.  In our spiritual life, we are sometimes virtually fasting when it comes to God's word. We are so busy with the cares of everyday life that we grab what we can of God's word on the run.  We get no real spiritual feeding, only enough to keep us barely functional in our relationship to God.  Verse thirty-four adds, Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.  Paul told them this was for their own health, and not a hair on their head would be lost.  When we set aside time for spiritual feeding, we need to realize that it is for our own good.  We are going to lose nothing of value when we do this but are going to preserve everything.  We cannot fight the enemy without spiritual feeding.  It takes more than skimming a few verses a day in the Bible.  We must daily get to the meat of the word. Verse thirty-five continues, Paul took bread, and when he had blessed it, in the presence of them all, he began to eat.  Paul set the example by doing what he said they needed to do.  It is not enough that we tell people what they need to do, and then fail to do it ourselves.  Paul set the example, first by asking God's blessing on the food, and then by eating.  We need to set the example for those around us.  Paul did not wait to see if they were going to listen.  He simply did what he knew God was asking him to do.  We cannot wait for others when we know what God wants us to do.  We must simply obey.  Verse thirty-six concludes, Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. Then, after Paul started eating, they all were of good cheer and took some meat. Paul's example led to the others joining in.  We need to set the same example today.  Our following God should lead others to follow Him also.