Or is my life like this cluttered coffee table…intended to display you–to show you off–to demonstrate that I honor you, but so many things are allowed in that your face is obscured?
Have I welcomed you?
Do I prepare a place for you that you might live freely, unhindered?What, in my life, is crowding you, Lord?
Is it my desire for my physical body to be healthy? Have I taken that too far? Not far enough? Am I owned by food? Or, am I owned by a drive not to be owned by food?
Is it my love for my husband and the “Happily Ever After” I dreamed to enjoy once our nest was empty?
Is it my children and the importance I place on what they choose to do with their futures?
Have I given laughter, joy and all the things you have created and truly want for me, too great a place of prominence?
Have I exalted the gifts rather than the Giver?
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. ~ Ephesians 3:16-17a
I choose to make room for you today, Lord. By faith, I choose to welcome you to dwell in my heart. I choose to still my soul, like a weaned child with it’s mother (Psalm 131). Please wean me of anything in this world that distracts me from a passion for you. I am so grateful, Lord, that one thing I know…I need you so much that my life is a living testimonial of your grace, love and mercy. Thank you. Like the song says, Lord, “Be born again in me, today.” I will never NOT need the gospel preached to my soul.
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. – Psalm 84:2
Years ago, there was an advertisement on television featuring Andy Griffith and his big toothy grin. Smiling ear-to-ear in his inimitable way he asked, “What are you hungry for when you don’t know what you are hungry for?” His answer was always “Something on a Ritz® cracker!”
Have you ever wondered what you are hungry for? Sometimes, we may think true physical hunger is rearing up, shouting to be satisfied. We mentally run through the litany of foods we like to eat and nothing sounds good. We calculate what we will feed our hunger.
If we are quiet, we may hear:
“Me. You’re hungry for me. Let me feed you.”
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. – Psalm 73:26
We were created for intimacy with God. Our hearts cry out for it. For many years we have answered the cry with Ritz® crackers. Or chocolate, or pizza, or cheese enchiladas. We have misinterpreted the cry of our hearts for intimacy with God and fed our spiritual hunger, physical food.
Psalm 42:7 says “Deep calls to deep.” From the depths of our hungry souls we cry out for the Lord.
Try this: If you are hungry, but can’t figure out what you are hungry for, rather than tearing open a package of Oreos or Ben and Jerry’s ice cream or whatever is your biggest temptation when you aren’t physically hungry, try instead , opening up God’s Living Word of truth. Try calling upon the Lord of Heaven and earth. Believe His promises to you:
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! – Isaiah 30:18
I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them. -Hosea 11:4
Oh Jesus, I know that when I don’t know what I am hungry for, it is actually YOU I crave. I pray that I might wait for you and experience your abundance and joy flood my soul. Amen.
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down,
and the mountains trembled before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
-Isaiah 64:3 ,4
Our God is unpredictable. Unchanging, yes, but tamed, no. He is wild and wonderful. The path we are on is filled with adventure. He does that which we don’t expect. His power is beyond imagining. From the very beginning, He has not “behaved” according to the expectations of man. Does it really surprise me so much that now as I seek to honor Him with my body, heart, mind, soul, and spirit that He would do that which is so much different than what I might expect?? As I wait on Him for physiological hunger and allow Him to meet the hungering of my heart and mind, this powerful, awesome, wild and untamed hero will act on my behalf. His desire for me is beyond my ability to fathom. His willingness to come to my rescue rivals any of the best fairy tales–except for the one wonderful Truth. THIS fairy tale is TRUE. He will act on my behalf as I wait on Him.
I eagerly wait, knowing that I will see the face of my Lord.
Lord, thank you that while you may not be predictable, you are reliable. You come to my rescue. I look to you for your rescue today. Your ways are so beyond my ways. Thank you! Amen.
Image Source: iStock Photo It is more likely for a lion to grow tired and hungry than it is that God will NOT supply me good things! WOW!
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
– Psalm 34:8-10
God is so wonderfully good. I can hide myself in Him. When I fear Him (which just means to have an awesome reverence and respect for Him) I lack nothing I need. What am I really trying to satisfy when I eat when I am not hungry? The mini-powdered sugar donuts are yummy, how many of them do I really need in one sitting? What am I trying to fill up after I am not hungry any more? Is it truly something that mini-powdered sugar donuts can satisfy? I don’t think so and, according to this passage, it is a God sized hole that He alone will fill up.
In Psalm 34: 8, isn’t it interesting that the psalmist used the word, “taste?” At that point when I am looking for something by eating yet more ___(insert tasty morsel of your choosing)_____, why not stop and taste of Him? I start the day with such good intentions and no wonder! I have been in His Word and His love for me and mine for Him are fresh on my heart and mind. Maybe I need to rekindle that throughout the day by prayer, quick meditation on one of my memory verses, a review of my truth cards, or by opening the bible for a moment. As easily as I can rip open a package of cookies, I can open the bible or breathe up a prayer. I can take refuge in Him.
If I truly revere Him and am in awe of Him, I will seek HIM. Whatever it is I am seeking to fill with food I will find more abundantly and truly with HIM.
Lions don’t often grow weak with hunger…they keep hunting and feasting, yet the psalmist indicates that they may grow weak and hungry…what is the “antidote” for weakness and hunger? Seeking the Lord. Not only will my belly be full and strength return, but I will lack no good thing!
Praise Him!
Lord, today I will taste of You and your goodness. I will take refuge in
You instead of in a bag of Reddenbudders popcorn. I will demonstrate my awe
and respect of you in calling on YOU when I struggle. I know what as I seek
you, I will lack nothing that I need. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Newsletter Subscription
Sign up to receive updates and newsletters from Thin Within.
