Hunger

"What do we hunger for?"

That's really not a pastoral trick question - it's an honest question.  What am I really hungry for? 

Physical hunger shows up by an embarrassing growl from the stomach at the most inopportune times (I remember swallowing a pack of gum once to get my stomach to stop growling in church). 

Relational hunger shows up in a desire to "hang out" with people. 

Emotional hunger sometimes manifests itself through moodiness (unless you're a teenager - then moodiness is a personality trait).

It's now after lunch, and to be honest – I'm hungry.  As I write this there sits a bowl of microwavable soup on the file cabinet to my right.  I will take care of that hunger in a few minutes… I must say, as I look at it Famous Dave's would do a better job of satisfaction.  But, I know how to fix that hunger.

Last night Leah and I had a blast having dinner with friends.  Some that we've known a long time (note I didn't say "old friends") and some we are just getting to know.  Laughter is a good thing.  Sitting in a restaurant for two and a half hours with friends satisfies hunger on multiple levels.  I know how to fix relational hunger.

There are times that my emotional tank is just empty.  I am tired on multiple levels and moods tend to find their expressions in the world of extremes.  The amazing thing to me is how issues I see effect what I don't.  My tax guy told me how much I have to pay the government (who is almost a trillion dollars in debt… but I'm not bitter… I just… oh never-mind).  I noticed rust on the wheel-well of my car.  Another organization just asked me to help them by getting involved with something.  I gained weight last week.  All things I see.  All of it somehow impacts what I can't see - emotions.  But, I know that I can fix emotional hunger with a priority change and a mild and loving kick from my wife.

Sometimes I cover my hunger in my opinions. 

Sometimes I ignore my hunger by busyness.

Sometimes I hide my hunger by quick fixes.

Sometimes I appease my hunger by shallow religion.

But it's still there. Cover. Ignore. Hide. Appease.  It's still there. Cover. Ignore. Hid….  You get the idea.

But right now, what am I hungry for.  Really hungry for?  The kind of hunger that runs deeper than food, friends, or how I feel.

I read scripture the other day that made me hungry.  I will openly confess to you that I am spiritually hungry for something. 

I read the first chapter of Ezekiel, the third verse.  And I saw the words that caused all forms of hunger to bow in reverence.  I saw the words that summed up what I have longed for, had tastes of, and longed for some more.  Words that challenge my walk and call me to be quick on my actions.

"…the hand of the Lord was upon him."

Ya, meditate on that phrase for a second.  What does it do to you?  So I ask the question again: "What are we hungry for?"

Ezekiel 1:3
…the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him.

Married to Leah, Engaged to Christ,

Pastor Dave

 

 

 

The Wedding Story

She read the invitation countless times. If reading could wear out ink, the page would have been blank. "I love you and can think of nothing that would bring my heart more joy than spending the rest of our lives together in the land of my Castle." She could quote the line from memory, and did as she got the dress out of the box that had been sent with the letter.

It was flawless. She had never seen silk and lace combined to equal such splendor, it radiated with purity and beauty. When she put it on it seemed to change everything, her smile was brighter, the room seemed less dusty, and even the mirror she looked in seemed to reflect back awe at the sight of the gift of the Prince. Somehow it was more than something she was wearing, it showed who she was becoming and pulled her to who she was soon to be.

She lifted the dress slightly so when she walked to the door the hem wouldn't drag on the floor. She couldn't wait for the groom to see what it looked like on her. When she started walking on the road to the castle the wind was stronger than she thought and dust and leaves were attaching themselves to the dress. She thought, "Maybe the Prince won't notice, or maybe he won't care."

Her arms soon grew too tired to hold hem of the dress up, so she let it drag on the dirt road. It seemed a shame but it was just the hem and wouldn't be obvious, "Maybe the Prince won't notice, or maybe he won't care."

It had rained yesterday and some of the puddles where still claiming their right to the path to the Castle. She cursed yesterday's rain and its mark it made on the dress but continued picking up her pace to the home of the Prince.

Unfortunately, her haste resulted in tripping over a tree root in the path. She caught herself before her whole body landed in the waiting mud, but found herself on her hands and knees in muck that would not be brushed off. "Maybe the Prince won't notice, or maybe he won't care."

When she got to the castle the dress was a long way from the flawless garment of joy she was to wear to her wedding. But the more she tried to brush the dirt off the deeper it seemed to go. She thought, "If I could just carefully rip the hem off, the dirt would be less noticeable." But she could not tear the material straight and soon had a jagged rip from the hem to almost her knee. And every place she touched the dress left a blemish that exposed how dirty her hands were.

The silly thought echoed in her mind, "He certainly would notice, but maybe he wouldn't care. Maybe his love for me is great enough to overlook the obvious."

But alas, shame began to sing louder than hope, and the maiden turned to go home without giving the Prince a chance to see her.

The Prince was at the throne of the King. He had received word that his prospective bride had arrived, had been abused by the elements on the way and had begun the journey back home sure that as great as the Prince's love was - it couldn't be so great as to see past the dirt and damage.

He was told that the dress was unrecognizable and the maiden had been so ravished by the journey that she was just a shadow of what she used to be.

The Prince looked to the King and pleaded, "Yes I love her, I love her more than anything we've ever created in the Kingdom, but there must be another way! Please tell me there is another way we can be together."

The King turned his head with no reply. They both knew there was no other way.

"Perhaps I could send her another dress and a garrison of soldiers to escort her through the dangers…"

"What if we let her in and dressed her when she arrived…" the ideas disappeared as quickly as the words.

The King slowly said, "You must go and get her. You must find her. You must help her be ready for the wedding."

"But, I have never left the castle. I have only viewed her land from a distance. Please, can't love find another way to unite us?" the Prince softly let the words fall from his voice, but he knew the answer.

Silence echoed in the Throne room. Tears found their way to the floor from the face of the Prince, and the face of the King.

"I love you enough and I love her enough to….

Once upon a time someone was loved enough by the Prince that he would give everything to marry to them. He wouldn't over look the dirt -he would cleanse it. He wouldn't ignore the damage -he would repair it. He wouldn't send someone else to the one he loved –he would go himself.

D. David Kessler

What Are You Reading

Last week I asked what you were reading so we could share with each other one of the tools of growth. Below is a sample of quotes from books that are being or have been read.

My disclaimer is that I don't know all of the authors below or the content of their full message. So, I hesitate to encourage you to run out and get the book. But, I have a hunch that the Spirit can recommend and warn more effectively than I can anyway.

I heard a speaker say once, "The only thing more sad than people not being able to read, is people who can… but don't."

Enjoy -

"I cannot speak for God unless I listen to Him speak for Himself."
Philip Yancey, The Bible Jesus Read

"Faith is about confidence in God's character, that he is good and true and beautiful."
Erwin Raphael McManus, Wide Awake: The Future is Waiting Within You

"Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved."
William Young, The Shack

"With intact, flexible external and internal boundaries people can have intimacy in their lives when they choose..."
Pia Mellody, Facing Codependence

"God is not threatened; rather He is immeasurably saddened by false worship. When people worship anyone or anything besides Him, they become like it. God has better intentions for people.
Ralph D. Winter, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement

"The gateway to resurrection power is crucifixion. God will arrange opportunities for you to die to self." Francis Frangipane, The Cup

"Ben thought about Li Quan, whose professional dreams had been dashed, who made a hundredth of Ben's income and now sat in some godforsaken jail. What shocked Ben was the particular feeling he had toward Quan at the moment. He felt envy."
Randy Alcorn, Safely Home

"There is a discipline of the heart that marks the free spirit. All of us long to play the song within our soul, and I imagine we would all do so if it didn't require the endless hours of studying the notes."
Erwin McManus, UPRISING A Revolution of the Soul

"People need spiritual tour guides. They have had plenty of spiritual travel agents. Be a tour guide through the process of spiritual transformation in your church. Take people on a journey with you."
Thom S. Rainer, Simple Church

"Has the Lord the right to demand them {actions of surrender} as conditions of discipleship? The answer is that He has asked nothing that He has not first done himself."
J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Discipleship

"The Desert Fathers did not think of solitude as being alone, but as being alone with God, they did not think of silence as not speaking, but as listening to God."
Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart

"Too many people simply see salvation as a 'quick dip' of God's paint roller, painting over the dirt to make them 'nice and clean.'"
Jack Hayford, The Anatomy of Seduction

"The thought that God wants me to serve him by concentrating on making my wife happy was extraordinary. Can it mean, then, if my wife is unhappy I'm failing God?
Gary Thomas, Sacred Marriage

"Amid the painful consciousness of ignorance and unworthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the heavenly art of effectual prayer is learnt."
Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer

By the way, it's Friday the 13^th! You know what that means don't you? Do you understand?

That means it's the day after Thursday and the day before Saturday! That means tomorrow is the 14^th! In other words, if you get hurt walking under a ladder – that's because walking under ladders is dangerous!

This day is God's not Satan's or superstitions! Don't give it away, live it –

Be Blessed in Your Journey,

Pastor Dave

Quotes

What are you reading right now that will bring you closer to Christ? What have you read that caused your spirit to come to attention or your faith to rally in a way that changed you?

There's so much power in the written word. Let's take a second and encourage one another. There's something you have read that someone else needs to read and have God speak into their spirits.

I'm asking you to share it with us. Send me an email with a quote you have read recently or one that you remember from a favorite book and I'll compile them and send them back next week for us all to have kindling for God to use to start a fire.

Boundaries (everyone loves boundaries!)

1. No paragraphs ! I'm looking for one sentence quotes.

2. No paraphrase! This isn't a time for – "I read something once where a guy said something about God being more powerful than the color red."

3. Let me know author and title.

4. Don't assume God couldn't use what you've read or are reading.

Here's mine -

"One of the most critical aspects in learning to pray for others is to get in contact with God so that his life and power can flow through us."

Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

Send your quotes to office@midlandfmc.org.

There is a reason I'm doing this. Here's a hint -

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Surrendered,

Dave