Hunger

 July 15, 2022

A couple days ago, my son posted a video of him commenting on Matthew 15:32.

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

He spoke of the people being with Jesus for three days. “I’ve never spent three entire days with only Jesus,” he said. His words got me to thinking. I wonder how many times I have collapsed (“Fainted” in an older version) because I failed to spend the time with Jesus that I needed to have strength for the day. I can get so busy with the things I think are so important or urgent, and short change my time in prayer and Bible study, and then wonder why it feels he is so far away.

The fact is, Jesus never wants us to go away hungry and faint. He always desires us to have the strength we need to meet the challenges of the day, but sometimes we walk away before he has had time enough to really feed us. We grab a quick snack as we run out the door, in a hurry to get to work or play, and all the while, the table he has set for us filled with that which really satisfies and nourishes the soul lies neglected and forsaken.

Sometimes people are faint because as Jesus’ disciples, we haven’t done our part in bringing what we have to him to be blessed and multiplied. We have held onto that which has been entrusted to us for the purpose of sharing it with others. 

Sometimes we are faint because instead of continuing with Jesus, we have spent our time everywhere else, in places, on things, and with people who don’t have the ability to fill us with what we really need. Work, recreation, food and alcohol…even people cannot fill the empty place in our hearts God reserves for himself. Only Jesus can satisfy the hunger we have inside. And only Jesus will never send us away hungry.