There is a hunger in the heart of every human being. A hunger, or a longing for something. What is this hunger for? For some it is the hunger for power, for some it is a hunger for relationship, for some it could be hunger for acceptance. This hunger can be so strong that many will push boundaries, do anything just to satisfy that insatiable hunger within.
Unfortunately most of us never get to find that satisfaction we desire no matter how much we acquire. The truth is that this hunger can never be satisfied by physical, emotional or even material acquisitions. Power, wealth, relationships, not even the Christian ministry and many more can ever satisfy the deep longings that we have.
Pastor Colin Dye of Kensington Temple in London says
"There is a spiritual root to our human quest for fullness. There is a huge gap, an emptiness at the core of our being and we long for it to be filled."
Our hunger is spiritual and it is only God who can satisfy and fill up the emptiness in our lives.
What is hunger?
Hunger can be a strong need and desire for the essential needs in our lives. The Nelson Bible dictionary defines it as "a strong need or intense desire for food". The Hebrew word translated as hunger is also translated as famine, this is an indication of widespread shortage of food.
Some years ago I went away on a retreat and wanted to fast for twenty four hours. I had instructed the chef that I was not eating and so no meal was prepared for me. At about 10:00 pm, I became very hungry and desperate for food, I got up and went into the dining area looking for something to eat. Anything would have been food for me that night as I desperately tried to fill my stomach with food. I would probably have filled my stomach that night with natural food, but become hungry again the following day. We are told in the scriptures by Moses that "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"
The Bible tells us about Moses' hunger and desperation for God, despite all his achievements. All of these great achievements could not replace Moses’ longing desire for more of God.
"And Moses said to the Lord, If Your Presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here!" (Exodus 33:15 AMP)
Even when God promised Moses that His presence would go with Moses, Moses still was not satisfied, he wanted to see God. (Exodus 33:12-25). Many of us would be just satisfied with God's miracles, a big Church, a good job, a fine car, lovely home, fat bank balance but Moses wanted more than just God's miracles. He wanted God Himself. In Psalm 42:1-2, our attention is drawn to the hunger the Sons of Korah had for God. It was a desire that could not be described in human terms hence it was compared to the panting of a deer when it needed water for survival.
"As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God. My inner self thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?" (Psalm 42:1, 2 AMP)
The sons of Korah wanted more, not just the singing, not just the clapping or the shouting. They wanted to behold God, they wanted to be where He was, They had been “Church services and meetings” so to say, they had been to all the “Christians seminars” and conferences that you could name but all that could not compare to beholding God Almighty, the Great I AM.
In Psalm 63:1, David a man after God's heart in time of trouble and desperation in the wilderness of Judah cries out not to man but to God.
"O GOD, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is." (Psalm 63:1 AMP)
Jesus tells us as Christians how we can find happiness, He says it is in having an appetite for righteousness.
"Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!" (Matthew 5:6 AMP)
There is a level of satisfaction that comes to a born again Christian when they hunger and thirst after God. When we acquire this type of hunger, the things of this world would no longer satisfy or hold us captive.
Paul the Apostle was another man who despite his achievements did not rest on his achievements, he counted them as dung. He counted all he had gained as loss, because his hunger for God was so much and focusing on his early achievements would be a distraction.
"But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake. Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One)" (Philippians 3:7,8 AMP)
Are you hungry? What are you hungry for?
Jesus asked a question in John 7:37-38,
"Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!" (John 7:37 AMP)
Though it might be difficult to grasp the truth is that our deepest hunger can only be satisfied by God through his son Jesus Christ. Come to Him!
Your Pastor, your husband, your wife, your family members, your friends, your loved ones, your mentors and any others can never satisfy that deep longing in your life. God might use some of these people to minister to you but it is for the purpose of getting you closer to Him. God and He alone through His son Jesus can fulfil that need in the deepest part of your life.
Are you thirsty, hungry, Jesus is calling you to come! If you are not thirsty or hungry, ask Him to place that thirst and hunger in you today!
