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Archive for the ‘Spiritual Hunger’ Category

Can You Dig It?

Posted in Devotional, Spiritual Hunger, Zeal on November 2, 2010| 2 Comments »


Several years ago a friend and I were pondering what the ancient Israelites looked like. What did they wear? Did the men use head coverings? What about their hair and beards? I suggested that we go back three or four thousand years and look at the newspapers and photographs.
Of course I had to explain that what I really meant by that light-hearted metaphor is that some of those answers can be found in archaeology.

It took a very long time, but I was finally able to put together a pictorial portfolio comprised of images from antiquity. The search was tedious and difficult but very enlightening in the end; well worth the effort.

I would probably never have seen an image of the ancient Israelite, though, had it not been for the labors of thousands of archaeologists who painstakingly combed every square inch of the ancient historical sites and dug the answers out of the ground inch by inch.

That’s why I love archaeology so much. With a little digging, we can view the day-to-day lives of the ancients as though they stepped right out of the pages of history. There are museums in every country of the world housing a variety of artifacts that chronicle ancient history, yet we have probably not even scratched the surface of the vast store of treasure still buried.

If ever I could, I would love to participate in a dig- especially in the area of ancient Mesopotamia. This might not ever happen, but I suppose that’s okay since I am on a far greater treasure hunt anyway; one which spans 6,000 years of human history and beyond.

Listen to what the Word of God said about the kingdom of heaven:

… the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.(Matthew 13:44)

Notice that the kingdom of heaven, at least the knowledge pertaining to it, is “hidden.” Where? It is hidden within the pages of the Holy Bible. But the good news is that anyone who diligently searches for it can find it.

There is no greater treasure that may be found in this earth than that of God’s Kingdom. With that kingdom, however comes great responsibility and it is absolutely imperative that we seek God’s wisdom in order to fully comprehend it. Again Scripture says:

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness… They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. (Proverbs 8:8-11)

Seeking God’s wisdom as well as understanding the pages of Scripture is a life-long endeavor, but oh the treasures we will find there!

It never ceases to amaze me that archaeologists will sometimes devote their entire lifetimes unearthing one buried city or searching for sites long forgotten. They will in their great devotion work with little more than a trowel and a brush in the grueling heat day after day, year after year. And yet I, to my shame, sometimes find it hard to spend an hour a day in God’s word. Forgive me Lord.

I pray that I may become a great treasure hunter. And I pray for patience as I search through God’s Word to find the hidden riches there. If archaeologists can continue to work at unearthing Pompeii for more than two hundred years (with a third of the city still yet to be cleared); then surely I can devote more of my time searching for the greatest treasure that can ever be found; one that will last for an eternity without decay.

After all, the Lord God instructed us: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21)

My heart is with God and my desire is for His kingdom; I’m sure yours is too. Can you dig it?

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Forgotten “Nessie”

Posted in Devotional, Revival, Spiritual Hunger on November 1, 2010| 4 Comments »

Thousands of people have claimed to have sighted the “Loch Ness Monster” in the waters of the Scottish Loch Ness over the years. I have never been to Scotland, let alone spotted “Nessie,” but I do happen to believe that she is real. She hardly deserves to be called a monster though; she was only labeled that because people are afraid of the unknown or unfamiliar.

Like countless others, I believe Nessie is nothing more than a plesiosaur or similar aquatic reptile. Nessie is not a lone phenomenon either. There have been many similar sightings in various places. It seems that if Nessie is in fact a plesiosaur, she has cousins all over the world.

As a firm believer in Creation, I have no problem whatsoever believing that at least one plesiosaur is hanging out in the depths of the Loch. Just because the evolutionists want to believe this kind of creature went extinct millions of years ago, that doesn’t make it so.

Despite the skeptics, there are too many reports of something big and powerful being out there in the waters of Loch Ness to be ignored. In times past, tourists used to flock to the Loch in hopes of proving the Loch Ness Monster to be real, and that she was the big powerful object that so many had encountered. The anticipation of seeing her was so great that the slightest unexplainable stirring of the water not only caused joy and excitement, but also captured the attention of the media.

Unfortunately, no real proof of Nessie’s existence was ever presented. This didn’t matter, though; many people continued to believe in Nessie regardless. What about you? There seems to be some evidence that Nessie is real, but you either believe in her or you don’t.

Chances are you’ve never given Nessie that much thought. The overwhelming desire to find her has really died down in recent years; so much so that she has nearly been forgotten. Many of those who would love to catch a glimpse of her cannot afford the time or the money to go searching, and most are just too busy with the cares of life to make the effort anyway. It’s just as well. Nessie is not important in the grand scheme of things, but it sure would be invigorating to encounter her.

Sadly, I think too many of our nation’s populace have adopted a Nessie mentality when it comes to God. It seems far more people used to seek God than they do now; and they used to wait with great anticipation for the slightest ripple of His presence.

But life got in the way. The world became filled with distractions and people grew busier, choked with the cares of the world. They just didn’t have the time or the patience to wait on God, and sadly, too many people lost interest in trying. To make matters worse, more and more scoffers popped-up claiming that God was just a myth and far too many believed this to be true.

Something needs to be done. It can hardly be denied that if one person came forth with proof of a credible sighting of the Loch Ness Monster, there would quickly be a revival of people flocking to Scotland’s Loch in search of Nessie. In the same way, if our churches and synagogues had a powerful, authentic revival, like the churches did in days of old, it is certain that there would be a renewed interest in seeking God.

I understand that people are afraid of the unknown or unfamiliar, and to many, this kind of revival is both. However, if an elusive sea monster can draw people’s attention and devotion, how much more the very real, undeniable presence of God?

Will you join with me in prayer that God’s people nationwide will lift their hearts in prayer, asking God for genuine revival? Nothing could be more healing or invigorating to our country than this.

Just because the scoffers say that revival is extinct, that doesn’t make it so.

And always remember, Scripture promises: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

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In the Midst of Pain, God!

Posted in Devotional, Spiritual Hunger on October 26, 2010| 2 Comments »

She had prayed for him the entire twenty-six years of their marriage, but he never once considered giving his heart to the Lord God until he was so far down that the only direction he could look was up.

When her appendix ruptured and infection swept mercilessly through her body, this man’s wife nearly died. But she was a strong believer and her faith sustained her through the long ordeal. Shortly after that, her husband was preparing to have a frightening and risky surgery. He could only hope that the procedure would ease some of his physical suffering. His spiritual health was another issue; He finally understood the grave consequences of his rebellion and his great need of the Savior.

Ten minutes before he left for the hospital, preparing to face an uncertain future, the belligerent man bowed his head in prayer and willingly submitted his heart. “I had prayed for God to save his soul,” his wife explained to me, “no matter what it took.” Then she chuckled. “Of course, I didn’t expect that it would take all of this.”

“If he genuinely gave his heart to the Lord,” I assured her, “it was worth all the suffering.” She wholeheartedly agreed. “And his was not a prayer born of fear,” she explained. “He was sincere; the change in him was apparent from the very moment that he prayed and invited the Lord into his heart, and he is still a different man altogether. Oh, he still has a lot of physical problems, but he doesn’t mind at all; for the first time in his life, he is truly at peace!”

I certainly understand this. I know from experience and can say with utmost confidence:

In the midst of pain,
God never leaves us nor forsakes us.
He gives us a peace which passes all understanding.
He comforts us.
He encourages us.
He strengthens us.
He helps us.
In the midst of pain,
He heals us.

The dear saints which penned the beautiful hymns of old understood this well. Sadly, with the prevalence of newer, more contemporary worship music, the younger generations have never heard many of these old hymns’ inspiring words- precious words which flood the soul with joy and awe. And fewer still have ever heard the stories of how many of these hymns came to be.

Frances “Fanny” Crosby wrote more than 8,000 glorious hymns including Blessed Assurance. Despite the fact that she was blind since infancy, her hymns all glorify God and declare His love and His goodness towards us all. She never viewed her blindness as a handicap, but rather as a gift.

Why? In her own words, “It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.”

Many of the other hymn writers were blind as well, or suffering other harsh physical infirmities. Charlotte Elliot, for instance, was a bedridden invalid when she wrote Just as I am. She wrote this hymn during a time when she was battling emotional turmoil and doubt. The song is so powerful that is has been played during altar calls since its creation, and is still used today for the same purpose.

Some hymnists even suffered from depression so severe that they battled with suicidal tendencies. Others, whether depressed or not, wrote their greatest hymns during times of great personal tragedy.

You would have thought, for instance, that Horatio Gates Spafford would have written It is well with my soul at a time in his life when circumstances were pleasant. On the contrary; life was dealing Mr. Spafford one severe blow after another. The Spaffords’ only son died of scarlet fever. One year later, they lost all of their capital, invested in real estate, to the great Chicago fire. Then, a short time later, all four of the Spaffords daughters died when their ship sank at sea.

Horatio Spafford’s spirits could have sunk into the depths as well, but instead, he penned the words:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

How many of us can truly say that all is well when we are faced with agonizing pain, whether emotional or physical? How many can honestly say:

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song;
Praising my savior all the day long!

Throughout the ages, untold millions have been able to offer thanksgiving and praise despite their most difficult trials. Is this irrational? Perhaps it is to those who do not know God, but all those who put their trust in Him have this one thing in common: they know with utmost certainty that no matter what circumstance or trial we face-

In the midst of pain, God….

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Light Down Under

Posted in Devotional, Spiritual Hunger on July 6, 2010| 3 Comments »

photo courtesy http://www.photobucket.com

Yesterday I spent about thirty minutes in Australia and relished every second. Most people are in and out of there in less than ten minutes, but I didn’t have any of my zoo-sprinting offspring with me, so I was able to inch my way through the exhibit at my own leisure. How refreshing for a nature enthusiast like me. I’m the person at the zoo that you really don’t want to trail behind because I frequently stop to admire rocks, bugs, foliage –everything! By the way, if you ever accompany me on one of my little nature outings and there are exotic birds nearby, you might want to pull up a lawn chair and relax. We might be there awhile.

That’s why the Australian exhibit is one of my favorites; it houses many breathtaking species of exotic birds. I’ve been through this little refuge many times and I know it quite well. Still, yesterday’s visit was an entirely different and unique experience; it seemed as though I was viewing everything through a brand new set of eyes –through God’s eyes. I was truly inspired.

Amazingly, I was the only one in Australia during the greater part of that half-hour. Savoring this rare opportunity, I was able to talk to God freely -and the animals- without anyone thinking I was a nutcase. (You’ll probably be relieved to know that the animals did not speak back).

God spoke volumes to me as well. I had already taken a moment inside the zoo’s entrance to silently pray that He would speak something into my heart while I was there and He most assuredly did. However, there are no words which can adequately describe what God placed in my heart as I beheld all of that beautiful, familiar creation in a fresh new way. I can only say that something inside me was stirred so deeply that I was literally in tears at the wonder of it all. For thirty-minutes I stood in awe, looking at even the simplest things with tears falling softly down my cheeks.

I’m not sure if it was my lone presence in the place or simply God’s hand at work, but all of the animals were positioned so that I was as near to them as I could possibly be. Even those in cages stood at the front of their enclosures and looked me right in the eye as though they knew me personally. We truly seemed to connect as I told them how beautiful they were and how very much I enjoyed them. I would like to believe that they understood my words, but even if they didn’t, they surely must have felt God’s awesome presence, and were therefore, completely at ease.

I cannot even begin to imagine what it must’ve been like for Adam and Eve walking in the Garden of Eden as they communed with God, but I truly feel that I was indeed blessed with the tiniest glimpse of that. Then I wondered how is it that I, one of the world’s most ardent nature-lovers, don’t always feel such deep emotion in the midst of God’s creation?

I have, for example, seen the exquisite colors on the various waterfowl hundreds of times, but never before had I noticed just how prismatic their feathers are when spotlighted by the sun. I’ve seen a million spider webs, but never before realized how intricately the fragile, silk-like strands form a surface strong enough to hold its prey, yet delicate enough to sway gently in a breeze -translucent as a sheet of glass glistening in the sun. And I had certainly seen the various animals before, but this was the first time I really noticed some of the more subtle variances of colors and patterns on their bodies. Even the withering plants had a peculiar sort of beauty to them.

I have always known that our spiritual eyes can become dim over time in the same way that our physical eyes do. Perhaps yesterday’s trip to the zoo was, for me at least, a fresh reminder that God always wants us to have deeper, more meaningful experiences in every part of our lives. If only we could learn to look at the world around us and really ‘see’ its beauty, we could enjoy it more fully and appreciate our Creator even more. I pray that nothing ever becomes so commonplace to me that I start to view it as simply ordinary. After all, my God is an extraordinary God who has blessed us with an extraordinary world to live in and enjoy.

Maybe I’ll head to the jungle sometime soon, taking the time to look through God’s eyes again. If you live in the area, I’d love to have you join me. But be warned, there are exotic birds there too, so you might want to bring that lawn chair.

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“I Just Gotta Eat!”

Posted in Devotional, Spiritual Hunger on June 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Ah, the simplistic honesty of children. Years ago, when our oldest son was three, we had asked him to pray over the evening meal. He bowed his head and exhaled deeply. Then, with great intensity, he said these exact words: “Dear God, I JUST GOTTA EAT!”

Those words have echoed through my thoughts many times over the years. Seldom in regards to physical food, though. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Yet I find that there are times in my life, like now, when it seems the more spiritual food I eat, the hungrier I get.

To be honest, there have been times when I was spiritually hungry because I skipped a few meals. But this isn’t one of those times. I hope that everyone senses what I do. I truly believe we are on the brink of a very special move of God. Our world is in distress and times are getting darker, but the beautiful, sweet presence of God is moving over the face of the earth to bring comfort and joy to all who will receive it.

I also sense a fresh awakening of God’s people. It seems that so many have been drowsy for too long. Content to live on fast food, spiritually speaking, we have become sluggish and unhealthy. All the while, God has offered us a well-balanced banquet and bids us to come eat.

Partaking of spiritual food parallels the physical. The more spiritual manna we partake of, the healthier and stronger we become. In turn, we find ourselves becoming more energetic and active again. Rather than being couch potatoes, we find ourselves being about the Father’s business all the more. And this increased level of activity, creates more hunger in our hearts.

Obviously, I’m not the only one who is getting hungrier. All across this nation, people are crying out to God for more- more of His presence, more of His power. And God is faithfully answering because He never turns away the hungry.

It is truly my heart’s desire that everyone- those who know God and those who do not, will begin to feel such hunger pains that we more fervently seek our heavenly Father and cry out to Him, “Dear God, I JUST GOTTA EAT.”

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