Jesus answered,
“It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes
from the mouth of God.’ ” Matt. 4.4
Jesus was led
into the desert by the Spirit of God. There He was tempted by the devil. He
fasted for forty days and forty nights. He was therefore extremely hungry when
the tempter encouraged Him to turn stones into bread. His response is quite
extraordinary. He resisted the temptation. He was looking for something more
satisfying than mere bread.
Jesus advocated
living on every word that comes from the mouth of God. I am reminded of
the times when I’ve heard said such things as, “They live on his every
word.” It suggests a hunger to hear from that particular speaker. What
he/she says is of such import that people, literally, “hunger” to hear them.
Hunger can manifest in a variety of ways.
Obviously, I can hunger for food. I can also hunger for the company of my
favourite people, for the pursuit of my most loved pastimes, or for the
improvement of my standard of living.
What ever I may hunger for, let me remember
Jesus’ response at this time. He would certainly have been hungry after forty
days and nights without sustenance. Yet His appetite was more focused on
obeying God’s voice that it was on receiving bodily nourishment. May I, like
Jesus, “hunger” to hear my heavenly Father speak and to do whatever He might
ask of me.
Loving Father,
Again my Lord Jesus shows the way. In the extreme of bodily hunger, His
focus is on You. Please lead me in similar manner.
Your word encourages me to ask of You. I ask now for a hunger for every
word that comes from Your mouth. I ask that You would speak of many things to
me, and that I will hear, and willingly respond to, all that You would tell me.
I thank You for Your love. I hunger to hear Your words. Amen.
My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.
A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").
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