HUNGER FOR GOD IN THE NEW YEAR

 I pray your hunger for our Lord and Savior this new year will be strong and compelling and life-changing.

Eternal Perspectives          by Sally Bair       

Hunger

Outside my window I watch the gray squirrels scamper from bird feeder to bird feeder, eager to fill their empty stomachs. At night the deer come out to pick at their share of seeds, probably happy to find food of a different taste than they’re used to.

With the new year here, if you’re like me you’ll be wanting to change your hunger pattern for the right kind and amount of food in order to lose some excess weight. After all, it is resolution time once again. It seems our biggest problem is hungering for the wrong foods. And at this time of year, less-than-healthy foods abound. The phrase “sugar blues” comes by its name rightfully.

The wrong foods, whether for the body, soul or spirit, can be dangerous. They can affect our physical, mental or spiritual health in many adverse ways.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). What does He mean by those words? How will He fill us? 

We’re all born with the basic instincts for food, for love and for God. The Bible teaches that we were born in sin, yet we each are given a passionate hunger for goodness. Society and other outside forces may change that hunger into one for riches, honor or pleasure. Perhaps even for retribution and evil. How we display or express our inner hunger to those around us becomes a visible sign of the position of our heart. And when our heart and soul hunger for God, it not only pleases others but pleases God.

In fact, He rewards us by filling us with His indescribable gifts of His righteousness, inner peace and joy. The word “filled” means to feed or fatten, as cattle are filled with green grass. And the green grass of His Word symbolizes growth and good health. The more we feed on His Word, the healthier we become not only spiritually but in all other ways.

The word hunger will be uppermost in my mind during this new year because God laid it on my heart. My most heartfelt prayers will be that my loved ones, friends and all others I meet will have a hunger for God so strong, they will be unable to resist Him.

Lord, thank You for filling our hungry souls with Your love, goodness, peace and joy. Keep us so passionately hungry that we are compelled to partake of Your life-sustaining Word and presence each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.