Hunger

“How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God. ” Psalm 84:1-2

My stomach made that crazy loud empty sound and I felt like I hadn’t eaten in weeks. It had only been a few hours since my last meal, but I was famished. I felt empty. I longed to eat and be filled. When I get this hungry I look for anything and everything I can put into my mouth. Sometimes I think I would be willing to cut off my arm and gnaw on it. Instead I look for quick and easy things to pop in my mouth – chips, string cheese, peanut butter on a spoon, etc. However I soon realize these things will not satisfy. What I really need is protein. Peanut butter won’t cut it. Now you vegans I am in awe of you. I can’t do it when I am that hungry I need meat – preferrably red meat.

When I read this Psalm, I think about these times when I hunger for food.

First I pray that I hunger for God more than I hunger for food. In other words I hunger to be with Him and serve Him more than I want that tasty steak or veggie burger for you vegans. O that I would hunger for God in such a way that my soul yearns and faints.

I also think about how I am willing to fill my physical hunger with anything at first. Then I realize “anything” won’t satisfy. Perhaps I do hunger for God, but I misinterpret my hunger. Maybe I am trying to fill my hunger for God with service, people, position, influence, money. Just like chips, cheese, and peanut butter don’t satisfy my hunger pains, anything short of God Himself will not satisfy my God craving. Am I so desperate for God that I am filling my hunger with things that won’t satisfy, things that are easy to reach for.

Oh what a wretch I am. I am either not hungry enough for God or I am willing to try anything, but God to satisfy my God-craving. Oh that I would join the Psalmist and cry out to God. Perhaps it starts there. Maybe if I am willing to ask God to give me a hunger for Him I will not only hunger for Him, but fill that hunger with Him.

Will you join me in praying for that kind of God-hunger and that God’s Spirit will fall on us filling our God-hunger with Himself?