Are You Hungry

By Ron Bartanen     Have you thought of hunger as a blessing? We are privileged in America to be blessed with food and consider hunger for any length of time to be unbearable.  We usually think of hunger in terms of food, but there is another hunger that is even more needful—a spiritual hunger.  Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for shall be filled” (Luke 6:21).      Following are some things the Bible teaches that we should hunger for—     Hunger for God, our Creator.  Proverbs 42:1 reads, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”   There is within all a need and hunger for our Creator which often goes unrecognized.  We fill our lives with other things to try to satisfy that hunger and find ourselves empty.     Hunger for truth.  We are admonished, “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:233).  No commodity should be valued as highly as truth.  Jesus taught that truth has the power to free man from the bondage of sin, saying to his disciples, ‘Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free’ (John 8:32).  Truth is not found in human dogmas, but Jesus prayed in behalf of the disciples, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).  Do you feed upon Bible-truth?     Hunger for Heaven.  None will live in this world forever.  The apostle Paul spoke of believers who “by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and eternal life” ( Romans 2:7).  Earthly gain pales into insignificance to that of God’s heavenly promise to the faithful in Christ Jesus.     For what do you hunger the most?  Heed Jesus’ promise: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com