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Monday, August 19, 2019
Page #14
Having a hunger and thirst for God We all love to sit down to a good meal. Whatever our favorite food, we really look forward to enjoying the things we love. After our Dr. Billy appetite is satisfied, it doesn’t Holland take but a few hours and we are hungry again, but we seldom consider that our spiritual life functions in much the same way. For those who follow God, they have been given a new spirit which loves to spend time reading, praying, meditating, praising, and enjoying his presence as this is how we absorb our spiritual nourishment. However, when we are busy and neglect our relationship with God, we become weak and lethargic just as we would if we went a long time without eating. My wife and I watch a reality series called, “Alone” where a group of individuals are trying to survive in the wilderness and one of the main challenges is finding food. After a couple of weeks without nourishment, the body begins to suffer physically and mentally and likewise, when we go long periods without acknowledging God, we become spiritually weak and miserable.
want and still be on good terms When life becomes heavy with with him. Come to think of it, discouragement, maybe we are maybe this was the reason we simply experiencing the consequences of neglecting him. If we are not craving his presence, this could very well be an indicator of just how far we have drifted away from him. His mercy can forgive any mistake we have made and our past is never too damaged or dark that the light and compassion of God cannot restore us. This Life was never intended to be free from problems or distractions, but we were promised we can have hope and joy in the journey when we choose to hold his hand.
Some individuals can remember a time when they were involved with God in some way. Maybe as a child, their parents took them to Sunday school and church or maybe someone read them Bible stories. These are good memories especially if this led us into a personal relationship with God and we are truly grateful someone loved us and cared about our soul. Unfortunately, there are others who have allowed the cares of the world to pull them far away from the Lord. A few may even believe that our past experiences (as good as they might be) will carry them through the rest of their life and supply them with a continuous flow of peace and faith, but this deception is causing many to ignore a critical spiritual principle. The Christian life is not empowered With all the foods we prefer, it’s by a yearly, monthly, or even a common to use the term crave weekly visitation with God, it’s all when it comes to what taste good. about a constant awareness of his Likewise, our new spirit craves to presence as a lifestyle. dwell and fellowship with our Creator. In Psalm 42:1-2, the A wonderful passage that pertains to writer emphasizes an intense our subject is found in Matthew 5:6, desire and longing to be with “Blessed are they which do hunger God. “As the hart (deer) pants for and thirst after righteousness: for streams of water, so my soul pants they shall be filled.” This is an for you, my God. My soul thirsts assurance from Jesus that for those for God, for the living God. When who desire more of God, they can can I go and meet with Him?” certainly have all they want, There is very good news today. If whenever they want him. Christ is you want to be with the one who saying the spiritual life can be very made you and who loves you much like an endless buffet, but the more than anything, you can question for all of us is do we really reach out to him right now and have a passion and craving to be ask him to surround you with his filled with him? It’s important to love and mercy. I’m convinced remember that our mind and when we are going through a conscience has everything to do with difficult situation and feeling how close we will walk with God. down, that many times we have Yes, we can live in denial and simply drifted away from the depend on false securities, but the peaceful harbor of his grace. truth is we cannot live however we
drifted away in the first place. Read more at billyhollandministries.com
Verse of the Week Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
