Hungry

Every day, my kids come home from school in the afternoon in need of a distraction and energy after a hard day of learning, and their answer to this need is snacks.

The activity of after-school-snack is a routine that resets and relaxes their brains into ‘home mode’, and replenishes their energy levels ready for play time.

However, a snack doesn’t fill an empty stomach, it’s not meant to, that’s what meals are for. Sometimes one snack becomes two, and when Mum and Dad aren’t looking, a few more fill the space. Then Mum starts cooking something wonderful in the kitchen, and the smell starts those hunger pangs off again.

By the time dinner is ready for the kids, the kids are no longer ready for dinner. The meal that my wife put so much love into preparing was snubbed for a short term fix.

What happened? The blessing of the snack was abused and took away the hunger for the main event.

In this parable, who do the characters represent? Who are the kids, who is the one who prepares the ‘meal’? What do the elements represent? What is the snack, the meal, the hunger?

In Jesus’ day, the Jewish scholars made a practice of regular fasting. It was a time of deny yourself the comfort of food for a period of time in order to focus your attention on God. 

To some extent, it builds your self control, but most of all, the hunger is a constant reminder that building relationship with God is your main aim. 

Jesus’ disciples didn’t have to fast while he was on earth, he was right there with them building closer friendships through eating and feasting than he could ever have done through abstinence (Luke 5:33-35).

These days, There are many forms of fasting practiced, all designed with the intention of spending more time with God, and developing the love we have for Him. There are fasts of different lengths (being careful not to harm the body), fasts of social media and technology, fasts where you eat or don’t eat certain food groups, liquid fasts where you can only consume liquids, no solids. The last one will allow you to see the creativity of young people as they work out just what ingredients they can use to create a smoothie.

As I write, a large percentage of Christians on the earth are approaching the end of Lent, a fast of 40 days in memory of Jesus’ fast at the start of his ministry.

It’s not often seen as a fast, but in the early days of the pentecostal movement, they often had ‘tarry meetings’ (see Acts 1:4), where people would gather and fast their time and activities in exchange for time spent seeking for a greater connection with God. 

Seeking for the “More” of God.

I’ve heard the argument that at the moment a person gives control of their lives over to Jesus, they get all of God, so there shouldn’t be any ‘more’ to go after. That would probably be true if we didn’t live within time, but in reality, most of us fill up any free time with have with stuff and ‘entertainment’. It’s not bad stuff either, it has it’s place in our lives, but when it fills a place of hunger in our life that was only ever supposed to be satisfied with the More that God has lovingly prepared for us, we settle for the good rather than the best. And God’s best for us is beyond our wildest dreams.

So much of the Bible narrative is people either searching for the More of God, or settling for second and third best.

Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’

Exodus 33:18 NIVUK

Moses had already seen the burning bush. He seen God move powerfully in Egypt and the pillars of fire and cloud that lead them through the desert. He had spent days on the mountain in God’s presence. Moses already knew God, so why was he asking for more?

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalms 42:1‭-‬2 NIVUK

The Sons of Korah used the image of a thirsty animal as a picture of their desire for the More of God. I live in an arid area and have seen the effects of drought and thirst forcing animals that would normally avoid humans to enter the town, facing some of their greatest fears, because of their desperation for life.

From Moses,through to the fasters of today, that desperation and hunger burns inside of them like a fire.

The fire of God.

In the story from Acts 1 that the early pentecostals got their tarry meetings from, the disciples of Jesus fasted their time, coming together to wait for Jesus’ promise of the More. When that More came, it was evidenced by the appearance of what looked like fire on their heads, and by a new courage and boldness. One fire for the outside, one fire for the inside.

God’s principles don’t change much. Our Heavenly Father has lovingly prepared for us a ‘Fire’. He’s just waiting for us to be hungry enough to want it.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalms 23:5 NIVUK

Picture: freesvg.org