Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6
My stomach is normally growling by the time I wake up; today was no exception. In spite of enjoying a good nights rest, my lips were dry, and my throat was parched. Still, I was in a rush. I forsook food for timeliness and skipped my usual bottle of water and cup of coffee in hopes of warding off the annoying bathroom breaks that accompany a 41 year old bladder that’s been strained by pregnancies and surgery. By the time my morning meeting was over (some three hours later) I was feeling slightly ill.
Hunger and thirst are a natural expression of my basic need for food and water, and I’ve gotten to know myself well enough to know that if I ignore the snarl in my stomach for too long, I’ll grab whatever is within my reach to fill me up. Those choices usually aren’t usually the wisest; a habit that tends to reveal itself by way of my waistline. Furthermore, when I lose my appetite, it’s a pretty clear indication that something is wrong.
The same rules apply to my spirit. To hunger and thirst for God is at the very essence of my being. It’s the way God created us all. When there’s no hunger for God, it’s a good indication that something is wrong spiritually. Much as eating junk food can dull our physical appetite, that which is not of God can dull our spiritual appetite.
I used to find fulfillment in ways other than a relationship with God. My focus was on my social status, vanity, materialism and substance abuse. That kind of diet was unhealthy and left me sick. Sin sick. Even now, after an unmistakeable encounter with Jesus, I have to be careful not to allow my appetite for Him to be dulled by other things …things that don’t appear to be so bad; even spiritual things can take a place in my heart where only God should reside.
I used to excuse my lack of hungering on being busy or tired, but the reality is that it was a spiritual problem, not a problem of schedule. I desired everything except God, snacking my way through the day on “junk-food,” and missing out on the feast I could have been having with God.
Most mom’s I know won’t allow their kids to eat junk food all day. I won’t allow our 9 year old Emma to do it, knowing if she does, she will forsake the healthy meals that we put before her. It will hinder her healthy appetite, stunt her growth, and make her ill. Perhaps that’s a good illustration of a healthy relationship with God. To many snacks and too much junk will leave us malnourished and weak.
The truth is, Jesus is the Bread of Life. He said those who hunger and thirst after Him would be filled. If your not filled up, then ask yourself …
What are you hungering after?
Father,
I thank you that You are the Bread of Life, and for the fresh manna that You provide every day. You are the Living Water, and when we hunger and thirst for You, we will always be filled.
In Jesus Name
