Hunger For God

The Journal of Biblical Accuracy http://www.jba.gr/

Article • Hunger for God

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Hunger for God Proverbs 27:7: “The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” The Message puts the same verse as follows: “When you've stuffed yourself, you refuse dessert; when you're starved, you could eat a horse.” We are also so saturated or stuffed with things that we reject God’s honeycomb. We are not hungry for God. In Revelation 3: 14-16 the Laodiceans are told that they are neither cold nor hot but lukewarm. On top of that the Lord tells them that they say they are rich and don’t have need of anything not realizing that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. We know that King David was rich; he left to his son Solomon all the material to build the temple, including all the gold that was needed to do so. Yet he admitted in Psalm 86, 1 that he was poor and needy; desperate for God. In Revelation 3: 20 we read that Jesus the Christ knocks on our door. How do we respond to His knocking? Do we finish our business first and then open the door? Do we need to clean up our house first in order to open the door to our Lord? Or do we rush to the door because we have been desperately waiting for our loved One? Have you ever hungered for a pizza with your favourite toppings, were desperate to get to your parents´ house to find your favorite meal that your mom had cooked just for you? Hunger is the key element in whether or not we live in intimacy with the Lord. Maybe you need to fast again in order to newly relate to this.

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The last time I fasted it was like being elevated into a different sphere while still experiencing earthly life, but living it from a different level. I didn’t really want to start eating again, but when I did I enjoyed being saturated. I want to hunger for my Lord in the way the soil in the desert cracks open, desperate to receive the rain. When I started to eat again, eating had become different. The mere gushing down of a meal had turned into a feast of my senses. After a meal I was not full but saturated. Usually it is easier for us to be excited about a new movie, vacation in an exotic location or a night out with friends. But as much as I can be excited about such things I would love to be excited about spending time with my Lord. I want to be saturated by Him and with Him. Let’s look at the example of Israel: Exodus 16: 4: “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.” God had said that he would rain bread from heaven. Yet the children of Israel had to make an effort every day to get their daily bread. Interestingly the Bible states more: God is testing the Israelites if they will make this daily effort to gather the heavenly bread whether they will walk in His law or not. Which effort do you make? Is it a daily effort? John 6: 35: “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” If you want to have life, and I mean real life, you need to choose life: Deuteronomy 30:19-20: 3

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” John 14: 6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Have you been saturated with the things of life and on a fast concerning your relationship with your Lord? I suggest you end this fast by starting to eat small portions of the heavenly bread, Jesus Christ. Enjoy being saturated by Him and with Him. Decide today to make the effort and gather your bread daily. I pray that you are determined and overcome whatever you need to overcome to spend time with your Lord. May He reveal Himself to you personally in a new way that saturates you like never before, that you develop a passionate relationship with Him, love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Amen. Hebrews 11: 6b: “…he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Andrea Kioulachoglou

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