If You’re Hungry, Go Find Food
Simple enough, right?
I was sitting in the audience when the man up front said those words, and then continued on with his message. That simple phrase hit me, and I just held on to it. I was hungry, and acting like I didn’t know where my food source was! Yes, I know where it comes from, but I just go on eating stuff that isn’t really food at all and always feel like I am tired, have so little to give, or that I’m just getting by.
Ie: so much of my life. Can I get really down and personal with y’all? I look for food everywhere, and I love to eat. In my relationships I look for food to eat up and to make me bigger and stronger. I look for food in my purposes and plans, in what I’m doing or planning on doing that is or seems important or impressive – my jobs, my blog, and all the other hats I wear. I look for food in entertainment. I look for it in the pantry, in my bank account, in my cup of coffee, and in my closet.
I have no other way to describe it than food. Real, good food that fills up the innermost parts of me. As I get older I am learning that the best way to start my day – no matter what, no matter how christian-totalitarian it sounds, no matter what is going on in life, in pleasant plenty or in distress – the best way to start my day is with a heaping portion of food.
To feast on the Word and His presence. This requires so little of us that it seems like it can’t be real. All we have to do is show up, sit down, and start eating. Isn’t that what we all really want? Feasting. Going for seconds and thirds if we want. Hot, fresh, steaming food. Ice cold cups of water. Rich wines, endless. Fine cheeses. There is plenty. Have you ever seen the movie Hook? You know when Peter Banning sits at the table and sees the feast for the first time, with heaping bowls of colors and meats and fruits and anything you could possibly imagine? It’s like that. That’s what I mean.
Wake up and take a BIG bite. Eat! Don’t worry about cleaning up before you sit at the table, just come like you are! The Word of God is the truest food. It fills up in ways no other thing can fill – whether otherwise good things or downright bad things. Good and even great things made into the thing become bad things. It’s trying to feast and survive on things that aren’t real food. The good things resemble food but are just other parts of the party, and you’ve gotta eat to really enjoy them. No one likes a cranky party guest trying to do business without having had a nice meal around the table with friends.
You know? It is just so simple. If you’re hungry, go find food.
“On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from the earth, for the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 25: 6-9
“In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as all riches. Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things our of your law. Your testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. Great peace have those who love your law, nothing can make them stumble. My soul keeps your testimonies, I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.”
Psalm 119 (various verses)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
John 1:14, 16
and just for fun, Jesus’ first miraculous act:
“…there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
There were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”
John 2: 1-12
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He so loves a good feast!
So eat up!