Hungry for Love

“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” Mother Teresa

Love Hunger.  It is a very real thing.  A deep nawing down in the pit of our stomach to be known, to have intimate relationship, to nurture, to give and receive love.  Some of these desires are of the soul, usually physical and psychological, and some are of the Spirit.  

Hebrews 4:12 says For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.  

God wants our spirit to lead us, not our flesh, not our soul (mind will and emotions).  He wants to separate our soul and spirit so that our spirit can be in charge.  When our spirit is in charge, the Spirit of God is able to lead us into fulfillment of all our needs.  This is done through both the written and spoken word of God!   

Galatians 6:8 says For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  

So what does that mean?  Well it comes down to love hunger really.  It is a little bit like physical hunger and physical health.  If you eat a lot of junk food you will become overweight and unhealthy.  You won’t feel good or look good.  You will be less productive than if you ate good food and you may even develop diseases.  You will have low self esteem and not feel good about yourself.  However if you eat healthy exercise drink water and sleep enough you are going to look and feel great!  Not only that but you will be happier healthier and much more productive.  Sowing to the flesh and to the Spirit is a lot like that.  Both of these may be intended ways to meet love hunger, but only one way truly satisfies and leaves you in health and strength.  It is a constant and continual choice to sow to the Spirit.  Oh I’ve sown to the flesh before and I know how it feels.  It feels gross.  I’ve tried to meet my love hunger in all kinds of ways as most of us have and it leaves us unsatisfied and usually even more empty.  I won't list all the crazy things humankind do in an attempt to have our needs met apart from the living God.  The truth is there is only ONE THING that satisfies. 

  So then the question is...how do you satisfy your love hunger?  Are you willing to become a disciplined eater?  Yes I said it...the word discipline.  Most of us scoff at this word and label with a big red sign that says “religion”.  The truth is discipline to me is more like maintaining your deep connection to Christ.  Its about eating well.  Its about being satisfied in Him so that you don’t start running to microwave dinners, fast food, and even the garbage.  That’s part of why we read His word everyday.  We journal.  We pray and fast.  We worship.  We serve.  We do whatever we have to do to eat our daily bread and stay connected to the vine, to the source of Life.  It comes with maturity too.  Babies have to be fed and children have to be told when to eat, but mature people know how to cook for themselves and know when it is time to eat.  There are times in my day when I can feel hunger rise up in me.  Yes physical hunger but also spiritual hunger.  I have to stop and journal or listen to some worship music.  It just feels like a longing inside...a longing for connection.  I have to run to the bread of Heaven, the living water.  I have to eat and drink.  If I don’t eat and drink, well it’s not pretty.  I’ll run to fast food or whatever is easy and end up feeling empty, but I’m learning and growing in maintaining a lifestyle of eating and drinking.  

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.  Isaiah 55:1 

Most of us are pretty blind and poor but we just don't see it.  The truth is we are all hungry and in need of daily bread.  Many of us live in famine and wonder why we don't see more fruit in our lives.  We are all broken and in need of living waters of life.  So are you hungry?  Are you thirsty?  Run to the bread of life.  Drink of the living water.  Eat and be satisfied.  Drink and thirst no more.  Do it with discipline.  Do it with passion.  Do it with intention.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

If you keep doing this, you will see a shift in your life.  Your Spirit man will get healthier.  Your spirit man will get lighter.  You spirit man will feel so good.  Fruitfulness will flow through your life.  You will be like a well watered garden a spring whose waters never fail.  

If you’re not doing it, just try it and see.

If you’re reading this and thinking you need to become a more disciplined eater, then I challenge you to give God time during the next 30 days.

For 30 days, go on a spiritual diet.  As yourself what sources of junk food do you run to when you are love hungry?  Then for 30 days follow this diet:

1. Stay away from junk food.  
2. Ask the Holy Spirit for a 30 day Bible reading plan.  Maybe its a chapter in proverbs everyday or to study a book or two of the Bible.  He will show you and  do your best to stick to it.
3. Journal everyday.  It doesn’t have to be long.  Just share your heart with God and let Him speak back to you anything He has to say.
4. Worship everyday.  You may be able to play an instrument and sing.  You may want to worship Him on your instrument for an hour one day or you may just want to listen to one worship song.  Either way, just engage His Presence daily.
5. Ask the Lord for any other ways He may want you to connect with Him to eat and drink over the next 30 days and do them.  It could be in fasting or prayer.  It could be some sort of service.  It could be praying in the Spirit or waking up in the middle of the night for an hour of prayer.  Whatever He shows you do that!
6. Give yourself grace.  If you miss a day or miss a step give yourself grace but remember you're on a diet!  Be disciplined!  ;)

One of my favorite teachers, Heidi Baker said, "All fruitfulness flows from intimacy.  You plus God plus time equals intimacy.  There are no shortcuts." 

EAT DRINK and BE MERRY!!!!!!!  :)

With Love 

Rebecca

MY FAVORITE SONG RIGHT NOW:::::::::::::::::::::::::: Yeah Lord We Press in!  God We Press in for MORE OF YOU!  For More of Your Presence!  We will only be satisfied with ALL of You!  We will eat and drink of Your Presence daily for in Your Presence is the fullness of joy and the fullness of life!  Open our eyes God to our places of lack to our places of desperation!  God we are desperate for you!  We can't live without Your Presence!  We are hungry!  We are thirsty!  We Cry Out for MORE OF YOU God for MORE OF YOUR PRESENCE!  We will pursue You We will pursue your Presence!!!!!!  We give our lives away for Your Presence for this ONE THING!  God let our pursuit of You be passionate and full and disciplined like runners racing for the prize.  We fix our eyes on You!  Give us doves eyes God.  Haha.  Set us on fire!!!!!!!!!!!