Are You Hungry For God?

by | Jun 28, 2013 | Christin's Blog Posts

Do you have a hunger, a desire, a sense of eager anticipation for spending time with God? Worshipping Him? Reading His Word? Communing with Him in prayer?  If we’re honest, many of us would have to admit that we’re not as “hungry” as we should be – or else we would find the time to “feast” on Him more often.

My soul yearns for the courts of the Lord... Psalm 84:2

Author, pastor, and Bible teacher John Piper says it’s because, in essence, we’ve spoiled our dinner. In his book A Hunger for God, Piper writes:

“The weakness of our hunger for God is not because He is unsavory, but because we keep ourselves stuffed with ‘other things.’”

Good things that become bad when they keep us from the best.

Piper asserts, “The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison, but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but the endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the x-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality that we drink in every night.”

Food, TV, video games, the internet, sports, shopping… you fill in the blank. Things that in and of themselves are not evil, but become evil when we turn to them instead of God to feed our emotional and spiritual needs.

That’s where the Biblical discipline of fasting can be such a benefit. When we choose to give up something good for something better. We cut out the “junk food” to renew our hunger, our appreciation for “real” food.

Is something in your life dulling your spiritual tastebuds? Keeping you too stuffed to hunger for the things of God? Prayerfully consider fasting from it – abstaining from it – for a season, to get back in the habit of turning to God to fill your heart and soul. As Piper says:

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

When we prove to the world – and ourselves – that He really is enough. He really can satisfy our greatest longings and deepest needs.

…………..

Bible Study Questions:

This week in our Virtual VBS, we’ve been reading John Chapters 6-7. Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves and two small fish — and then He declared: “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

1) Look up Isaiah 55:1-2. What are some of the ways we “spend money on what is not bread”? How do we try to fill our soul hunger? What does Isaiah say about the food God offers us?

2) What does God promise in Psalm 81:10?

3) Practice this week’s memory verse, John 6:35.

………….

I could really use some feedback: For our Summer in the Son online Bible study, what would you like to see as next Friday’s post? More Bible study questions like the ones I’ve been posting? A devotional (like the ones I share on Mondays and Wednesdays — and above)? Would you like to see another just-for-fun “VBS-themed” craft — like our Water Bomb Flip Flops?

I’d love to hear from you!