Devotions for the Hungry HeartSample

Title: A Hungry Heart is Surrendered

Devotional Content:

I came across a fascinating story about the late newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. I want to share it with you because of the tremendous truth it holds.

As the story goes, the extremely wealthy Mr. Hearst was an avid art collector who spared no expense in acquiring costly artifacts from all over the world. One day, after reading about some exceedingly rare items, Mr. Hearst decided he simply had to have them in his possession. So he sent an assistant around the world in search of them. Mr. Hearst was determined to discover who owned these items and how much it would cost him to acquire them. Finally, after months of searching abroad, Mr. Hearst’s employee reported that the treasure had been found—in a warehouse belonging to Mr. Hearst.

Yes, Mr. Hearst had been willing to pay whatever cost was involved for treasure he already owned. If only he had scanned the inventory list of his own blessings.

Friends, I believe that’s a picture of us as believers, especially the American church, which has been so well fed on God’s Word. We’re constantly looking for that extra something, that latest devotional, the newest translation, when everything we really need to live a fruitful, Christian life lies within us. We are rich in Christ Jesus! We have all we need to partner with God in the sanctification process through Jesus, Immanuel, the hope of glory. (Don’t panic at the word sanctification. Just think of it as being transformed through growth.)

How will we do this? How will we partner with God to see the manifestation of the gift of Christ within us? The Word teaches that our lives rise or fall on our individual wills. We’ll be ineffective, so-so saints, never changing, never growing—or we’ll be constantly in the process of being transformed, being made new, and exploring the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus. And this will hinge on whether we live with our wills surrendered to God.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12.24