HUNGER PAINS

Stephen King wrote a story some years ago about a man who the more he ate, the thinner he got. No matter how much he consumed, nothing met the needs of his body. He ate everything he could find. He went to doctors who found nothing wrong other than the man was literally starving to death.

Eventually he died from starvation.
As I prepared to go to church this morning I thought “Man my spirit is so hungry today”. It renewed my realization that there is a hunger in man that nothing but God can satisfy. It is sad that so many people are walking around with spiritual hunger pains and they don’t know what it is they are in need of.

We live in a world of excessive consumption. We are constantly consuming media, food, entertainment, excitement, drugs, alcohol, sex, and all manner of self indulgences. We absorb anything that will keep our minds and senses titillated and feeling alive as well as distracted. It is almost like a dieter who must keep busy so they don’t think about food. All the while the hunger pains gnaw at your spirit.

In the past couple of years I have become a avid student of history. I have studied the British Monarchy from its inception to present day and have noted how present day Christianity was shaped by the various king’s views. I have currently been studying in detail about the founding of our nation and the principles upon which it was established. The price paid by the separatists in England just to own a Bible and have the freedom to worship and study God’s word is not taught in our schools. It wasn’t taught to me. Instead we had a glossy picture of pilgrims with big buckles and pointy hats sailing over on ships to plant corn and have turkey with the Indians.

Our Founders recognized that it was important for not only the society as a whole, but for the individual to find strength through the gospel. It was so important that Congress commissioned the printing of bibles to be distributed to every household and to be given in all the schools in the late 1700s. Yet today, we begin spiritually depriving our children at a young age.

There is an old saying “ You don’t miss what you never had”. Children used to be raised with stories of David and Goliath or Jonah and the whale. The lessons of the bible were our inspiration and gave us heroes to emulate. Now our children emulate Spiderman, and Iron Man, while we give them the latest electronic devises available. They never know that Spiderman is nothing compared to a young boy with a sling shot and a heart for God.

Matthew chapter 4 tells us that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”.

Jesus fasted for 40 days.

What kind of people could we be if we were able to unplug for 40 days? No cell phone for 40 days. No internet for 40 days. Could you survive without television for 40 days? As parents, you could alter your child’s future if you took away the electronic games and television and replaced them with bible stories. Would we make wiser decisions, show more kindness, and have closer family units if we were to electronically fast 40 days? Teach your children to not be consumers of the world but of the word instead.

No house, no car, no iPad or drug, no sex or designer clothes, nothing in this world will ever give you peace. They will never give you strength in time of need. They will never give you comfort when you hurt. They can never give you good guidance and direction. They cannot give your soul salvation. Only God’s word with all its’ wonder, glory, history and truth can satisfy the hunger pains of your soul.