FEED ME!
Just. so. hungry!
You’ve been there too haven’t
you; when you feel your stomach is ready to devour itself just to be satisfied?
When every other thing becomes less important as this gnawing hunger hijacks
all other focus but itself.
It is one thing to have a taste
for something but entirely different to be consumed by need.
It’s the difference between
resisting the dessert cart when you’ve just finished a satisfying meal and
thinking “How quickly can they get food on the table?” after it’s been a long
and stress filled day.
Jesus was hungry. In Matthew 4:2
we read “After fasting forty days and
nights, He (Jesus) was hungry.” These were not the rumblings of a stomach
between lunch and dinner; this was a hunger that was so complete His entire
body had been weakened by lack of nourishment.
Satan then comes and says “If you
are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3) In other words, “You have the power and the
ability, and an opportunity to meet your own needs. Take what you need. Go for
it.”
We hunger; but for more than
food: we long for love, power, or
financial security.
We desire to be recognized,
validated, and affirmed.
We hunger for wealth, ease,
and significance.
These are our appetites and the
hunger of our hearts and where we are
starving Satan comes and says “You deserve it. You can take it. Do whatever you can to meet your own needs;
to make your own bread.”
Cheat.
Flirt.
Discredit another.
Gossip.
Push your way to the top.
Give in to anger and jealousy and
self-aggrandizement.
Find the crumbs to feed your soul.
Do whatever it takes.
But the Bible says “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by
Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4 :19
The Greek word here for supply - pleroo – means:
to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the
full
to cause to abound, to furnish or supply
liberally
to render full, i.e. to complete
to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be
wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
to make complete in every particular
He is the bread that satisfies, fully satisfies: in
John 6:35 Jesus says “I am the bread of
life. He who comes to me will never
go hungry again.”
In Him
we find peace when financial concerns would consume us in worry.
In Him
we find love when an empty marriage has us ravenous for affirmation.
In Him
we find significance that a title, position, or paycheck can never equal.
“Those who look to Him for help will be
radiant with joy!” Psalms 34:5
Jesus knew this. He knew that God would provide for His needs
and that it was not up to Him to do whatever it took to take care of himself.
The story concludes “Then the devil went away and angels came and
cared for Him.” (Matthew 4:11)
Which will it be: the scrapings
of your own attempts to quell your hunger or plerro that comes from loving care of your eternal
and almighty Father?
Who will feed you?
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