A couple of weeks ago
while I was taking care of Nora and Evalyn, two of my granddaughters, Evalyn,
who is two, approached me in the kitchen. “I’m hungry, Grandma. I’m hungry,”
she said. I checked the clock to discover it was indeed time for an afternoon
snack. In fact, I joined her and Nora for a brief break as we watched the
Disney movie, Finding Dory. When
we finished our snack, Nora and Evalyn continued to watch the movie while I
returned to the kitchen to create a casserole for supper.
I hadn’t been in the kitchen ten minutes when I heard
tiny steps draw near behind me. “I’m hungry, Grandma.”
I looked at Evalyn. “You’re still hungry?”
She nodded her head, “Uh huh.” Now who could resist
that sweet face??
Since
the first snack consisted of a fun-size packet of teddy grahams, I cut up half
an apple for her. However, it hadn’t
been but twenty minutes or so when Evalyn approached a third time. Still hungry!!
I asked Nora who was happily playing with a set of
old-fashioned glamour gals if Evalyn was always this hungry at home. Nora smiled and said she was, but at home her
requests were often ignored, especially after her first snack. I thought that
was probably the case. BUT, this Grandma gave in and Evalyn enjoyed a third
snack, a small cup of cheese puffs. Yes,
I’m a “sucker” when it comes to my grandkids J
Several days later as I was remembering the grandkids’
visit, I thought of Evalyn and her hunger for snacks. I was reminded of another
kind of hunger…a spiritual hunger. Just as Evalyn sought me to satisfy her
hunger with a snack so can I seek my Heavenly Father to satisfy my hunger. When
I find my faith wavering and growing weak or when I’m depressed and doubting
myself and others, I realize I need nourishment. So….I approach my Father by
talking to Him, sometimes out loud and other times in silence. As I express my concerns, my worries, my
failings as well as my joys and blessings, I begin to be filled with His
assurance and hope. However, if I’m
still not satisfied (still hungry), I turn to the pages of His Holy Word which
not only reveal new insights and answers but also provide comfort and
confidence. These help in subsiding my hunger pains, but then…like Evalyn, I’m
still hungry…so…God in His patience, kindness and goodness leads me to other
Christian materials as well as to trustworthy Christian friends who bring me
encouragement.
Now, with all these spiritual “foods” to satisfy my
spiritual hunger, my craving subsides but is never complete because my hunger
for God’s Son, Jesus, never stops.
That’s the way it is with a personal relationship with Jesus. The more I
have and receive from Him, the more I want of Him. Like a Grandmother who
responds to the wants of her grandchildren, Jesus fills the emptiness of all
who hunger.
“And Jesus said to
them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he
who believes in Me shall never thirst.’”
John 6:35