GOD FEEDS THE HUNGRY
Kay Keith Peebles 4/9/2021 21.14
In 1987 the Lord called my husband and me to move 1,200 miles away from all the family and friends we’d ever known. Both our parents lived in the same town in Texas. Our siblings and extended family were all within a four hour drive to that town where we grew up. Spiritually things had become stagnant and we needed a new perspective and a change of scenery. I had prayed for the Lord to get us out of the “rut” we were in, never dreaming He would call us far away from everyone and everything we knew.
It meant that our visits with family became one or two annual trips instead of every couple months. The distance caused us to “cherish” our family more and not take them for granted. As our parents aged, we began to come home to take care of them when they were sick or had special needs. Then the day came we prayed we would be able to be with them when it was time for them to translate from this world into heaven. I was able to hold my mom and dad’s hands days before they entered their eternal home and minister to them and the same happened with my husband’s parents.
We spent about 10 days with my husband’s mom in her hospital room before she died. My husband’s brother and sister in law joined us most of the time and we all sang worship songs and prayed as mom slowly shut down. She began to reject meals here and there and then altogether. She also slowed down her intake of water until she became comatose. The doctor spoke to us all and said the body begins to shut down all the processes as one nears death. It is a natural response as one makes the transition from this life to the next. She was 93 and it was obvious she had no desire to fight on so we read scriptures to her, sang about the Lord, and prayed so she would know we were there with her. Death to a believer is a beautiful and holy time. It is not a time to be fearful. It is a time to anticipate the great welcome into our eternal home where sin, pain, sorrow and death do not exist!
When one begins to die, they are no longer hungry. They cease from taking in the bread and the water necessary to keep them alive.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6.
Satisfaction is the enemy of hunger. Complacency is the condition of those who are satisfied. It is the most dangerous condition of the believer because he is lulled to sleep not knowing the lion is waiting to devour the unsuspecting prey!
The Israelites were excited to be delivered from their bondage in Egypt but their hearts quickly turned to grumbling and complaining when things didn’t look like they expected. It’s not enough to simply be “saved” because “saved” is not a destination, it’s a transition. The destination is transformation into the image of Christ Jesus! The Israelites may have been God’s “Chosen” people but they did not look or act like Him when they came out of Egypt. They wanted their freedom without responsibility, accountability or an expectation of being transformed into the image of God. Therefore, God made them hungry!
“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 8:3. NKJV
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.’” John 6:32-36. NKJV
The Lord allows situations to come into our lives that “disturb” or “trouble” our minds and hearts. They are tests of faith and our response is like a barometer measuring where we stand with Him. They can reveal whether we are close to Him and remain steadfast in peace or we are far away questioning in unbelief becoming fearful and distraught. The latter should cause us to realize we need more of Him, His word and the presence and power of Holy Spirit. At that point, if we do not choose to hunger for more of Him, we will begin to die. Like a branch severed from the vine, when our source of nourishment ceases, we will slowly wither, dry up and become brittle. No life remains.
The living require daily nourishment of bread and water. “They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:4-9. NKJV.
“Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD raises those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down.” Psalm 146:7-9. NKJV.
If we find ourselves in a place of dull complacency, we can cry out to the Lord and He will come and bring the refreshing we require to live.
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God?’ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me for I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance…deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime and in the night His song shall be with me—A prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:1-8
The LORD gives us a powerful promise in Revelation 21:6-“And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Jesus continued by addressing the unbelievers. “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8. NKJV.
Chapter 22 of the Book of Revelation is about the River of Life. In verse one John describes it clearly. “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (For more details see last week’s post LIVING WATER on our website.)
He continues His discourse: “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. ‘I Jesus have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.’ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:14-17. NKJV.
If we feel our passion for the Lord slipping away and waning, we must seek Him with all our whole heart until we are again restored to the degree we are fully committed to Him and His will. To stop hungering and thirsting for Jesus is to die without receiving the promise.
When hunger to know Him through His Word ceases, so does our faith in Him. When thirst for His Presence decreases, so does our spirit life!
If the cares of the world have made you dull in faith, listless in your desire to KNOW Him, and unconscious of how far you’ve drifted away from Him, hear this plea to return to your first love! If you no longer hear the voice of God, feel His presence or sense His pleasure in you, make it your priority to stop everything and humbly seek His face! If you no longer wake in the morning eager to talk with Him and read His Word, turn and run back to Him now! May this word be your Kairos moment (appointed time) with the Lord. Time is short. He is sifting hearts even now. Return straightway back to His loving arms so that you can be revived by the presence of the Lord. Eternity is drawing nigh.
If you’ve never known Jesus and you’re afraid, broken and enslaved by sin, you too can cry out to Jesus and He will come to you. When you confess and repent (turn away from) of your sin He will forgive you, fill you with His Holy Spirit and teach you how to live a righteous and holy life.
No matter what situation you are in, there is no time to waste. Call out to Him because He will answer you. GOD FEEDS THE HUNGRY!
