Hunger: The Endless Longing for MoreНамуна

Hunger in a Fallen World

Maybe you secretly (or not so secretly) dream of winning the lottery or inheriting an enormous sum of money. You’ve already decided what you would do with all that cash. Of course, every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17-18), and He is our provider of all things (Philippians 4:19). But we are called to so much more than just chasing material wealth or worldly satisfactions. Your loving Heavenly Father wants you to be aware of the pitfalls of hungering for things on offer from the world and the profound peace and joy you’ll experience when you hunger first and foremost for Jesus.

Jesus said, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ (Matthew 15:8-9) Sadly, this rings true for the church in our generation, which has been largely influenced by worldly mindsets. It’s not uncommon to find Christians who hunger for material wealth and comfort more than they hunger for Jesus. So, it’s important to ask ourselves whether we seek God primarily for material gain (as a means to an end) or whether we pursue a relationship with Him simply because our hearts hunger to know Him more.

In Matthew 6:31-34, Jesus explains to His followers that unbelievers (in His day, the Gentiles) obsess over what they’ll eat, drink, and wear. But once people receive these things from God, their provider, their fervor for spiritual pursuits fades. It’s possible you’ve seen worry and greed replacing sincere hunger for God in your church or the wider community. It’s possible you have a growing awareness that you and your fellow believers are called to model to the world a radically un-materialistic lifestyle.

Jesus’ message never promoted the kind of lust or greed for material possessions on display in our culture today, and so we dare not associate following Him with worldly gains. Nothing on Earth is as important as knowing and glorifying God. Let’s commit to channeling our priorities into seeking Him first – above all else – and with no ulterior expectation of reward apart from the joy of knowing Him and making Him known.