Hunger on Display

God repsonds to 'hunger on display.' And seems quite happy to pass by the 'satisfied.'

Over and over again through the Gospels (and also many other places in the word), we see Jesus respond to the desperate who were willing to show their passion - religious leader Jairus laying in the dust at his feet pleading with him to come to his house and heal his daughter, blind Bartimaeus yelling out over and over for Jesus to meet his need, etc.

In Luke 1:53 we read "He has satisfied the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty." HSSB

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be satisfied. NASB

The point simply put is this; God responds to people who know they desperately need him and his kingdom in their lives and circumstances, and who are willing to show it by their behavior.

This is difficult for us in our NA culture - to be needy is a sign of failure - we value selfsufficiency, and being able to 'provide' for our needs, and look after ourselves. Admitting need is to expose ourselvs to being 'devalued.' Successful and important people are not 'needy.'

Like it or not - that attitude does not impress God. It does not get his attention. He is quite willing to let us starve in our selfsufficieny.

So the questions seem to be; Do I really believe I need God in my life? How much? Am I willing to show it? (In my prayers? Worship? Time and energy invested in pursuing him? Am I willing to let people see my desperation to experience him in my life?

Based on my 'display,' what's my hunger level?

What's My Line?

The famous panel game show 'What's My Line?' of the 50s and 60s tried to get panelists to guess the identity of a guest person. Sometimes a person who looked like a banker was really a circus performer, or someone who looked like a hardcore biker was really a professor. Who a person really is, is often not obvious from their outward appearance.

Throughout the bible, we find God often referring to someone by their 'hidden' identity - he calls Gideon 'mighty man of valor' when he appears to look like a cowardly farmhand. He calls Jacob a 'prince of God' when he looks like a common conman.

God has a wonderful way of calling us by who he created us to be, not who we look like. Often times our choices, the chances of life, or our cirucmstances, or our feelings, label us as losers, failures, mediocre 'never will bes' or some other negative identity. BUT, God ... steps in and calls us by who he created us to be - victors, conquerors, holy, faithful, etc.

Let's accept the identity God calls us, and live up to who he created us to be! His power will enable us to live out 'his story' about who we are.

Life to the full!

LIFE!

John 10:10 Jesus said ... "My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." NLT

I believe the Bible clearly reveals that the Christian life should be rich, robust, exhilarating, challenging, adventuresome, and full of life!

However far too often the church has made it look impoverished (focusing on what you have to give up), draining (full of ritual and duty), weak (passive), passive, limited, and dull. When we belive this ourselves, we settle for a humdrum, dutiful, sometimes even resentful, atempt at living out our Christianity. Then we have to work very hard to keep anyone with zest for life in the 'church.' (Is this why we lose so many teens and 20s?) And many Christians settle down to live a humdrum, mediocre life of rule keeping and dutiful 'ministry.'

It's time Christians began living life to the full! Living with such joy, and vigor, and delight in God and all he has given us to enjoy, that those who are not practicing God's ways are envious!

What does this mean? I'm not exactly sure. I believe when we begin to revel in God and his ways and works, we will start experiencing what it means. I believe the 'church' needs to wake up to this truth ASAP - or we will become less and less relevant to the culture around us. The price will be that most people will not even give Jesus and his ways a second thought because the first thought is dull, irrelevant, boring, etc.

What do you think?