Hungry?

What do you think of when you hear the word: “hungry?” You might think of starving kids in a far distant country. You might think of the Sarah McLachlan SPCA commercial with dogs in cages. You might even think about the homeless person you drove past recently. But, unless it’s near mealtime, you probably don’t think of yourself. And, unless you live somewhere very different from where I live, you probably don’t think of your next door neighbors. But spiritually, we live surrounded by starving people. You may even be one.

Jesus thinks of hunger a little differently. Jesus tells his disciples in John 4:32 that “he has food to eath that they do not know about” (ESV). He defines this food in verse 34 as doing the will of God. Jump a couple of chapters to John 6 and you will again find Jesus discussion food in a way that his disciples do not immediately understand. Here, Jesus tells his disciples in verse 51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (ESV).

Jesus is the living bread, the food that ceases hunger. Jesus IS God’s will. It isn’t just that he did God’s will, he IS God’s will. God desires to redeem man, but “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23, ESV). Jesus is God’s plan for overcoming our sin. It is impossible for you to follow God apart from Jesus. It is impossible for you to be satisfied apart from Jesus because he IS God’s will.

If you’ve ever tried a dating website, you’ll know that there is almost always a question about your “passion.” Social media too gives people a place to tell others what matters to them. Passion has become such a buzz word in both secular culture and the church. But, no matter your passion, be it music, entertainment, exercise, your significant other, your kids, food, friends, or even helping others…it will always leave you hungry for more. It will never be enough.

This is a major reason I believe life is so draining for so many people. They are passionate, they are excited, and they may even be committed, but it’s to the wrong thing. Music will never be enough to satisfy the hunger of your soul. You will never work out enough to be fulfilled. Your husband, wife, fiancé, girlfriend, or boyfriend will never be enough to satisfy your soul. Kids will never be enough to satisfy your soul, they can never fill your life. You will always need a little more out of these things, you will need to go just a little further.

So turn your heart to Jesus. If you are already a Christian, make sure that your daily diet has time with God, not as an afterthought or incidental, but as a true priority. Make sure that you are consuming God’s word and drinking in prayer. If you are unsure about whether or not you have a relationship with Jesus, then get sure. Talk to someone who can help, because nothing you ever do will satisfy the hunger you experience for life. Nothing will ever be enough but Jesus.