Seek God
November 2, 2002
Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst…..”. There’s a lot of hungering and thirsting going on in this, our world.
In the world, 20,000 people die of hunger each day. In this same world, over 1 billion people live on under $1/day. No wonder, so many are hungry.
In the United States: Approximately four million low-income children under the age of 12 experience hunger each year and an additional 9.6 million children are at risk of hunger. Almost 100 billion pounds of safe, edible food – meat and poultry, fruit and vegetables, milk and eggs – are thrown away every year by retailers, restaurants, and farmers while twenty-five million Americans are hungry, including 12 million children. On average, an estimated 18 percent of the requests for emergency food assistance have gone unmet.
We’re talking about a lot of people, in the United States, who experience hunger on a regular basis. This is talking about real hunger, not simply those little hunger pangs we get between meals.
In Canada: The number of Canadian children experiencing poverty is unacceptably high. In the past decade the poverty rate for Canada’s children has risen to 1 in 5 nationally, while the strong social safety net developed over the past 50 years has been eroded, primarily through spending cuts aimed at deficit reduction. Single-parent families headed by women have the highest rate of poverty among all family types. Growing up in poverty too often means problems related to ill health, poor nutrition, unhealthy development and poor school readiness. Children at risk for hunger are most likely to reside with single mothers with very low incomes, usually derived from social assistance or welfare. They live in large urban areas and are demographically similar to other Canadian families except for overrepresentation of off-reserve Aboriginal households. The plight of on- and off-reserve First Nation families is well documented. Children in households that reported hunger suffered not only from their own ill health but also from their parent’s ill health and activity limitations in the home.
This is in our own country, a rich country with vast areas of land, great crops produced and incredible gardens and orchards!
Hunger is not something we like to think about or face very much. It doesn’t seem to us to be very good.
Consider this poem:
Can You Spare A Dime
by Jesse Garcia
Although most people can’t give their time,
All we are asking for is can you spare a dime.
To some people a dime is no big deal,
But to the homeless, it can mean our next meal.
Waking up during cold winter mornings or hot summer nights,
We are not wanted where there are bright shining lights.
We are harassed by the police and passers-by,
They know we need help and won’t meet us eye to eye.
Each and everyday we try to survive,
In a land where hunger and diseases thrive.
Most people label us as drunks,
But the reality is most of us live out of our trunks.
Rusted old cars and no where to go,
Although we have worked hard we have nothing to show.
Looking for food and no place to stay,
Most people don’t care if we faded away.
You treat us like criminals, yet we didn’t commit a crime,
All we are asking is can you spare a dime?
The term ‘hunger’ refers to desire, longing, focus, interest, and love. When someone is hungry, the focus on food and on satisfying that hunger is the main focus of the life. A lot of energy goes into finding something to satisfy the lack in the belly.
There’s a picture that was in the last issue of Look magazine a few years back. In it, there was a picture of a tall man whose arms and legs were reduced to sticks by hunger. He was no longer able to move on his hunger reduced frame, so he was on his hands and knees, and he’s looking aghast as another man, who is still able to walk, has grabbed his bag of flour from him, and he’s helpless to do anything about it.
Hunger can put people into a desperate strait. (I’ve discovered a small way that we can help those who are hungry- through Oxfam Canada.)
Actually, Jesus wasn’t talking about physical hunger, and it’s hard to find a lot of good in the amount of hunger there is in our world. However, there is a hunger that is good. While recognizing hunger that isn’t, there is hunger that is. In fact, we are all propelled by appetite, physically and spiritually. Hunger drives us- physically and in other ways, and we are all driven people. However, do you hunger for God? Are you hungry for God? Your hunger for God must be greater than your hunger for things of the world. Is it?
Matthew 5.6- there is a hunger that is applauded in scripture. In other passages, there is lots said about hunger that isn’t so good- hunger that is even a punishment, in some cases and at some times. There is discussion of hunger that came because of sin, sometimes. But, here, Jesus speaks of hunger that is tremendous- and one that is much blessed, and much to be sought.
All of us have known a bit of hunger and thirst in our lives- certainly not like those 20,000 who die of hunger each day. But we’ve known the pangs in our stomachs, sometimes after a day of fasting, or after spending some time outside in the heat of summer and having a tremendous thirst. We know that we are propelled to satisfy those pangs of hunger or thirst and we know how very good the first food tastes, or how wonderful a glass of cold water tastes. It is wonderful. If we had to go on a long time without food or water, the pangs would be powerful and would start to be dominating in us. Food and drink would become paramount to us.
Well, spiritually, there’s hunger and thirst to actually be cultivated and to be sought. Even back with Israel, God used physical hunger to direct people toward spiritual hunger and the true source of being filled:
Deut. 8. 1-3
Spiritual hunger and thirst are such good passions, that Jesus lauds them, and praises them, and promises about them. He tells us that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will be filled- not simply given a little bit, but will be filled! That’s a wonderful promise. Our hunger and thirst will be more than rewarded. He’s really telling us that if we are hungry and thirsty for Him, we will be filled. Let’s think about ‘Him’ for a few moments. What is He all about? I went to the men’s prayer meeting on Tuesday, where we read this devotional, meditated, and prayed- it speaks bout God’s greatness. (Read). This is the One we want to hunger for.
Notice Romans 10.4- which tells us that Jesus is righteousness. Jesus is the epitome- the top- in showing righteousness, and He gets to be in us. A title for Jesus is Righteousness!
Further, Jesus declared to His disciples:
John 6. 35- He tells us who He is, and that if we’re hungry and we go after Him with some energy, we’re going to find Him and we’re going to be more than satisfied. We’re not going to be hungry anymore. Our hunger will be satisfied, at its deepest level. Sometimes, we’re not really content with just bread- we want so much more. But in every society on earth, there is some form of bread that is a basic to the diet. It might be a pita, or a chapati, or something else, but it’s there. Here, we have baguettes which are very special- French bread, in several different forms.
Jesus declares what someone is to do who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Here, He is the one who declares that we won’t hunger and won’t thirst when we’re going after Him and when we find Him. We’ll be provided for.
So, how much do you seek Jesus? What means the most to you? What do you live for? Why do you live? These are important questions, and heart-searching questions that we should take seriously and look at in our personal lives. They will help you locate where you are. If you do not accurately discern your present condition, how can you make progress?
We should hunger for God more than anyone or anything else because He alone can satisfy, fulfill, complete, develop, heal, save, transform and equip our lives. God is Alpha and Omega. Nothing else comes close to Him. Yet every day people substitute things and persons for God’s special place in their hearts.
Many view a relationship with God as an item on their checklist of things to do in a week. God is listed right along with:
- shopping
- fitness workout
- kids
- God
- Work
- Hobbies
- Recreation
This is not the correct view for our relationship with God. If this is, for you, then you are missing the relationship you need to have. He is not second to anything. He will not accept second place. Remember that idolatry is putting your arms around anything other than God. God is the King of the Universe. He doesn’t take second place to religious activities either. He is to be Number 1 in your life- He is to be:
- Your focus
- Your desire
- Your longing
- Your interest
- Your love
- Your closest Friend
- The ruler of your every thought, word and deed.
Do you hunger and thirst for God? Do you hunger and thirst for Jesus, your Righteousness? How does this show?
Jesus, as the Bread of Life, is, also, the Word of God. He is the living Word, even as He is inspired the written Word. You need to be hungry and thirsty, expressed through the desire with which you pursue Him. Your hunger for the Word and the attention you give to it will determine how much of God’s Word you actually receive in your life. It’s like a seed planted in a garden. The more attention you give to cultivating the soil, removing the weeds, fertilizing and watering the seed, the more the seed will produce. Sharon Descoteaux, in Rock Forest, was telling me about how to have a good garden, and it involves the work of cultivating a garden 3 or 4 times in the fall, and again 3 or 4 times in the spring before planting, and the result is a virtually weed-less garden. It sounds good to me- certainly something to desire. But the point is that a good garden, however, you work at it, takes time and effort.
Jesus said it this way:
Mark 4.24- apply this to your being hungry for God. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear and know, will be the measure of good and knowledge that comes back to you, and even more, besides, will be given to you when you hear. There is application to relationship that is needful and will lead to your increasing growth!
Suppose you go to a nice restaurant and have delicious, beautiful food placed in front of you- food that has been well prepared and is displayed beautifully on the plate. However, before you get to the restaurant you ate three bags of potato chips and three chocolate bars. Even though the food is good and you are present with the food, you probably won’t eat much because of your loss of appetite. You would be full of junk food.
This, far too often, is a picture of many Christians in Canada, spiritually. They are present in church and the Word is being preached- hopefully well- but their appetite for God is almost gone because of all the hunk the world is feeding them. Is this you? Are you hungry for God or do you just show up at church and occasionally read some Bible verses?
Conclusion
Well, I have some good news for you. Your appetite for God will immediately increase just by your asking God to help you. He’s a good God and He gives His people good things. Certainly when we ask for help to become spiritually energized by spiritual hunger, God responds, always!
Also, as you put aside the junk of the world, the life of God will be much more appealing to you. Please put aside junk, so there’s room to be hungry for God.
- How often do you turn off the radio in order to pray?
- How often do you turn off the TV in order to read the Word, instead?
- How often do you use ‘your’ time to call someone to give a word of encouragement?
- How often do you put aside fatigue in order to show someone even a small act of hospitality?
Your hunger for God can be stolen. Junk food tastes so good. When I’m very hungry it’s easy to reach for junk food first. My hunger certainly never goes where it does for many in the world, but I find it incredibly easy to reach for a cookie or a chocolate bar, rather than to find some leftovers in the fridge, and heat them, and have something good to satisfy the hunger. It’s like this spiritually, too. It’s easy to find some filling through entertainment or general reading, when God is there to be sought and to really fill you.
Your hunger for God will increase as you remove anything that might be stealing that hunger. Knowing the blessings that will come- promised by Jesus- if you hunger and thirst for Jesus, wipe away any of the insufficient ‘quick fixes’ to that hunger offered by the world, and go where Jesus blesses. You won’t regret it. Don’t just allow yourself to eat junk, so you miss the nutritious food offered when you come to worship. Be diligent and careful to seek God, satisfying your spiritual hunger and thirst as He approves and blesses.
