Hunger for God's Word

Every year members of our youth group participate in the 30 Hour Famine. From noon on Friday until 6:00pm on Saturday, we do not eat any food; we only drink water and juice. Shortly before we break our fast, the parents who have prepared our dinner show up and set things up. It’s in those moments that the smell of food spreads through the house. After more than a day without food, many of us are hungry and ready to eat. It’s always interesting to watch how much a meal is appreciated after not eating for that long.

What if we had that kind of hunger for the Word of God? How might that change our lives? How might that change our approach to church?

It seems as though many people hunger for church because of how it serves them more than seeing it as an opportunity to experience the Word of God. This hunger for the Word is a something that David Platt addresses in his book, Radical.  David asks if the Word is enough for us. Then he continues with these thoughts…

This is the question that haunts me when I stand before a crowd of thousands of people in the church I pastor. What if we take away the cool music and the cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts are removed? Would his Word still be enough for his people to come together?

How would you answer that question for yourself? How do you think others would answer that question? In a time when it seems that so many look for a church that caters to them, what if we looked for a church that challenged us to grow and learn? Would that change what we look for in a church? And, more importantly, would it change our attitude when we gather with other believers?

The reality is that no church is perfect. If a church was perfect, I am sure that I would change that when I showed up. But at the same time, God is calling all of us to become more than we are, both as individuals and a community.

That change and growth demands that we consider what we hunger for. Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” What are you hungry and thirsty for in your life?

I have heard many people complain that a certain church isn’t meeting their needs or it doesn’t speak to them. That makes church sound more like a restaurant or store than it does the body of Christ.

When I go to McDonald’s, I might stop eating there because I don’t like the way the food tastes. But the church is not McDonald’s.

Before we complain about the “flavor” of a church, maybe we should make sure our hunger is for the right thing.

 

shine!
Jason