If you were sitting in our kitchen while the lamb roast was preparing in the slow cooker, you would no doubt start to get hungry. The longer you sat, and the longer you waited the hungrier you’d get. Eventually you would get really really hungry.
Being that hungry is how Jesus wants us to be for His presence and His love in our life. Not just a little bit peckish, take it or leave it type hunger, but famished.
St Augustine cried out in hungry desperation for God. He asked for, “the gift of your coming into my heart and filling it to the brim, so that I may forget all the wrong that I have done and embrace you alone, my only source of good.”
There are so many other, so called alternatives that promise fulfillment, but don’t fill the hungry void in our lives. People might endeavor to quench their hunger with the accumulation of possessions, relationships, family, careers, money, travel, wealth etc. These pursuits aren’t bad in themselves, but they can be a distraction from the real satisfier of the hunger in the depths of our souls that Jesus wants to fill.
Why? Because Jesus is not a skinny Jesus who hasn’t got much to offer, He’s not low calorie, and barely enough. He is full and overflowing, and wants to bring unbelievable joy to our lives.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”. (Psalm 23:5)
But you have to be hungry. He won’t force you to partake of the richness of who He is. He won’t force you to spend time with Him. He wont force you to forgo the “fast food” substitutes in exchange for the “real deal”. Instead we get the opportunity everyday to choose.
To choose to let go, or even to empty our lives of everything that we’ve tried to fill the hunger with. If we keep snacking on those things that come to try and crowd out God we won’t make room in our hearts and hunger fully for Jesus. We will keep being fooled by the fast food on offer which has no lasting benefits, and which eventually makes you sick, lethargic, and lacking in what you really need.
God cries out to each one of us “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. “Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live.” ( Isaiah 55:2)
“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man (Jesus) will give to you.” (John 6:27)
When we forgo the worlds fast food we start to hunger and thirst after that which satisfies. We get desperate. We seek till we find it. Our capacity and hunger grows, and as we open up our hearts to God and receive from Him, He fills us with far more than we could have asked, dreamed or imagined. We receive food from Heaven.
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart”. (Jeremiah 29:13)
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”. (Matthew 5:6)
Prayer: Lord help me to see those things which are crowding my heart, that are a poor substitute for knowing you. Forgive me where I have ignored you and chosen others to fill my heart and time rather than you. I make room in my heart and life for you; that I would hunger after the one who truly satisfies my soul. In Jesus Name. Amen
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