Hungry for God

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. --Deuteronomy 8:3

Pretzels are my all-time favorite snack. During my workday I'm constantly gnoshing on Rold Gold tiny twists at my desk. This snacking habit is driven in part by caloric need, but also by a craving for salty snacks. In other words, not only is it a necessity, but also a source of pleasure. The only other habit I have that I need and enjoy is my time spent with God.

When I'm engaged in my personal quiet time with God, I read His word and communicate with Him through prayer. Some days I write about what I've read, and other times I choose to write a particularly meaningful verse on the tablet of my heart by committing it to memory. There are days when my spiritual appetite is only enough to enable me to nibble at scripture, but there are other days when I devour entire passages before I'm content. Whether I take in a little or a lot of God's word, I am always satisfied. God never fails to give me just the right amounts of what I need at the appropriate times.

One of my favorite worship tunes is "Hungry" by Kathryn Scott. The first line is "hungry I come to you for I know you satisfy." This is certainly true for me. I come to God each day, hungry for His word, and he fills me up. As I have hungered and thirsted after Him for all these years, I have been blessed in tremendous ways. I've tasted and I've seen that the Lord is good.

It has been said that hunger is the best seasoning. This may be true of spiritual hunger as well, but that presents a dangerous problem. Some people are so spiritually starved that they will swallow just about anything. In an attempt to fill their emptiness, they take in whatever looks the most appealing at the moment. Many of these things will not satisfy much beyond the moment. Eventually, hunger sets in again.

As Christians we have a responsibility to share our spiritual meal with these people. We need to show them where it is that they can find lasting fulfillment. Only God can provide the satisfaction they don't even realize they crave.