Hungry?

January 30, 2009

By Jerry Scott

In our land of plenty, hunger is not all that common. Food is relatively inexpensive and abundant, so much so that we are becoming an obese nation confronted with myriad health problems rooted in eating too much of the wrong kinds of food. Cheap, fat-filled, sugary and calorie-laden foods fill our stomachs but do not satisfy our hunger, causing us to eat much more than we need to consume. French fries appeal to our simple tastes, but do not provide nourishment. Despite being “full” we still “feel” hungry.

The situation is much the same when we consider the hunger of our soul. We are created with a longing for God. We hunger for meaning, purpose and hope but often attempt to satisfy that hunger with “junk” food. Our culture pursues endless pleasure, seeks distraction in entertainment, buys things to gain status or to become more attractive, and worships sensuality. Our lives are full, yet our souls are starved.

The Lord invites those who hunger to a feast! “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live” (Isaiah 55:1-3, NIV). Jesus says it this way: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

We develop appreciation for foods with complex textures and tastes. When I was a kid, I hated salads. If you offered me a plate of leafy greens including baby spinach, arugula and various lettuces, garnished with nuts or seeds and brushed with a balsamic dressing, I would have pushed it aside as inedible. No more! I love the mixed flavors of a well-made salad complementing a nicely grilled piece of chicken. My point is that today I eat in a way that is much more healthy than I did two decades ago because I was willing to venture beyond cheeseburgers and macaroni and train my palate to appreciate more complex kinds of food.

Our soul hunger will be satisfied by worship, with the Word, and with true spiritual service but we must learn to “eat” the things of God. How are you satisfying your soul’s hunger? Are you stuffing yourself, spending your resources on one thing after another, only to find that the hunger persists? Turn to God. Receive Christ, and pursue His ways. Let the Holy Spirit give you an appetite for the Word and for worship (which, by the way, does not just happen in church buildings) so that you will eat and be satisfied.

— Jerry D. Scott is senior pastor at Washington (N.J.) Assembly of God.