Knowing people care is a powerful spiritual resource that accompanies membership in the body of Christ. As a local church pastor, throughout the years, there have been many 'adoptive mothers' in my life. Their counsel and concern comes from the wisdom of the years and their desire for the best for me.
No area of my life has generated more motherly exhortations than my diet and eating habits. With my "Type A" personality, coupled with an engineering background and a near-phobia regarding the use of time, it is no secret that I am a structured and disciplined person. Except when it comes to dietary decisions and eating habits. For me, the four basic food groups are coke, red meat, ice cream and the all-inclusive 'junk food.' You can only imagine the kindly lectures that have come my way from my well-meaning adoptive moms. Just last night, upon arriving home at about 10 PM from a day that began at 6 AM, I made a bee-line to the kitchen for a 'well-deserved' treat following the long work day. Two cans of coke and a handful of homemade caramels later, my craving was satisfied for the time being and I was ready for a good night's sleep.
Cravings are real, universal and powerful. Placed in the lives of fallen people living in a fallen world, they become conduits for that which is harmful and destructive. But when Christ gets involved, cravings can be turned to that which is helpful and constructive.
The Bible uses the word 'craving' to address our spiritual lives. The myriad of spiritual side dishes, spiritual desserts and spiritual junkfood available to us presents a potentially serious problem. This problem pops up in Numbers 11. As we pick up the story, the Provider God had already acted by supplying food for the people as they began their trip from Egypt to the promised land. His supply, as always, was sufficient and continuous. Then, in Numbers 11:4, the inspired Word of God records, "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing..." This craving featured a dissatisfaction with what the Lord had provided. We know this from the commentary on this episode provided in Psalm 106:14: "In the desert they gave way to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test."
The craving is not the problem. That which is being craved is the issue.
Peter presents the other side of this issue. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2:2,3). In the context, it is clear that the pure spiritual milk is the 'living and enduring Word of God.'
Craving books about the Bible, craving positive feelings and emotions, craving the latest fad invading the church, etc. will lead to the decrease in the craving that is an essential for our spiritual life and well-being.
Do you crave the Word of God? If so, great. Keep feeding that craving and the craving will strengthen. If not, face the issue head-on right now through admitting, confessing and repenting. Turn away from the side-dishes, desserts and junk food. Turn to the spiritual nourishment that satisfies, strengthens and sanctifies.
I think that I might be sounding a bit like one of my adoptive moms. Maybe I need to go home and have a salad.
"Lord, grow and develop in me an insatiable craving for the pure spiritual milk of Your Word."
About Me
- Stand on the Truth
- By my senior year of college, I had become a sarcastic agnostic with no time for religion. Then I was confronted for the first time with the claims of Christ and the Gospel. My life was instantly and permanently changed. The purpose for my life - and this blog - is simply to engage in, and promote Biblical thinking and a Christ-centered world view.