Craving God

I knew I was in trouble when I found myself looking at the back of the package, mentally calculating how many calories I would consume if I ended up eating the entire bag of Puffcorn.  The total was at least enough to keep me from finishing it off (or maybe it was the gut ache I was starting to get).  They shouldn’t be allowed to make food like this, it is so hard to stop.  Pair it with a Diet Pepsi and I’m not sure life could get much better.  Plus it’s cheap.  Like a bag of happiness for only $2 – what a deal!

But then the thought came:  If only I craved God as much as I craved this food.  This may sound silly, but oh how it cut my heart.  Ladies, have you had a similar thought?  “If only I craved God as much as I crave ____________.”   Fill in the blank with whatever you desire: a man, your favorite TV series, pumpkin spice anything, money, wine, beauty, a baby, comfort, attention or chocolate. 

We spend our lives running after what our flesh craves.  We throw our money, time and efforts at these things.  And why not?  Many of them come cheap and easy!  Like Puffcorn on a shelf at the store for $2 a bag.  We can just turn on the TV, buy more clothes, hit the coffee shop, pop a bottle, or go through the Drive-Thru.  Happy and satisfied...until… tomorrow.  Then we find ourselves back in line, making more purchases, or searching for new thrills. 

I don’t want to live that way!  And the Bible tells me I shouldn’t.  As a Christian, I have been set free from the bondage of sin.  It no longer has a hold on me, so I don’t have to cater to the demands of my flesh.  “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.  For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Roman 6:12, 14.  Thinking of Puffcorn having dominion over me sounds silly, but when I give in to this type of temptation that is exactly what I am allowing.  That is awful.

My heart’s desire is to crave God more than anything else.  I want to yearn for him above all temporary pleasures.  I want Psalm 42:1-2 to describe me, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”  I want God alone to have dominion over my attentions and affections.

So how do we make this happen?  I think Psalm 34:8 is fitting, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”  The answer is to consume more of God so we can comprehend more of his goodness.  When we understand more about our amazing God, our faith increases and our hope is established in him.  We take refuge in him like the Psalm says and not worldly pleasures.

Then we can say, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103.  The result is an increased desire for more!  This is a good craving, a holy craving.  One you are encouraged to indulge in daily and eternally.  So turn away from whatever it is your flesh is screaming for and set your heart on pursuing more of God.  “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Psalm 107:9. 
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Ladies, train yourselves to crave God.  Pray for a hunger for the spiritual.  The cure is double - when we have more of God, our souls are satisfied and the cravings of the flesh are stilled.  This is what they call a win-win and it’s forever.  So taste and see that the Lord is good today, open up his Word and find your satisfaction.