Let God Satisfy Your Deep Hunger

Reflecting on the Third Sunday in Lent: One Day after Sunday (Year A)

Scripture

Psalter: Psalm 81

Old Testament: Genesis 24:1-27

Epistle: 2 John 1-13

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Prayer

Artist of souls, you sculpted a people for yourself out of the rocks of wilderness and fasting. Help us as we take up your invitation to prayer and simplicity, that the discipline of these forty days may sharpen our hunger for the feast of your holy friendship, and whet our thirst for the living water you offer through Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Reflection

I am the Lord your God,

    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

    and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (Psalm 81:10, 16).

by Dale Fletcher

When you’re hungry what type of food do you eat? What’s your favorite food that satisfies a deep craving you may have? Is it sweet, crunchy, salty or creamy? After you’ve eaten it, how long do you feel satisfied? When I am really hungry I open the cupboards and look for a bag of crunchy Cheeto’s. Several handfuls of this snack food often satisfies my physical hunger when I have gone too long without eating any food. What do you turn to when you have a deeper emotional or spiritual hunger inside?

In Psalm 81:10 God says to the writer “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it with good things.” Later in verse 16 God is saying “But I would feed you with the best of foods. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”

In this Psalm, God is saying that if we turn to Him and follow His ways that He will take care of our needs. When we have a deep, deep need to be satisfied He does not want us to try to meet that need by going to the refrigerator and eating any food that might temporarily meet what we think is physical hunger. He wants us to go to Him to meet what really may be a spiritual need. God wants us to have the “best of foods.” Cheetos, a piece of cake or a bowl of ice cream do little to satisfy an emotional or spiritual need. Only God can do that, as these verses tell us.

The Hebrew word for ‘rock’ used in verse 16 of Psalm 81 is sur meaning a place of security and safety. That’s what God wants to be for us. When we need a place of security or safety He wants to be that place for us. When we are stressed over a life situation and are looking to feed the temporary emotions like loneliness, fear or pain, God does not want us to turn to physical foods to be satisfied. He wants us to turn to Him. He wants to “feed” us in a way that really satisfies our deep needs.

The next time you have a deep need because of a situation or event in your life, try turning to God. Put on a favorite CD or plug in your MP3 player and listen to songs that remind you of God’s nature. Open up the Bible and read your favorite scriptures. Read some other material that helps you understand God better. Or consider getting down on your knees and pouring out your heart to Him in a deep and meaningful way. Give God a chance and see if He won’t meet that deep ‘hunger.’ He is waiting for you.

Be satisfied in Him … and have a terrific day!

PRAYER: Faithful God of love, you blessed us with your servant Son so that we might know how to serve your people with justice and with mercy. We gather the needs of ourselves and others, and offer them to you in faith and love, seeking to be strengthened to meet them. Shape us and transform us by your grace, that we may grow in wisdom and in confidence, never faltering until we have done all that you desire to bring your realm of shalom to fulfillment. Amen.

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More writing from Dale Fletcher can be found here.