I want to learn to be satisfied with God. It’s so easy to sing, “You are my everything - you are my all in all” so methodically and somewhat glibly on a Sunday morning. Yeah, who am I kidding? God is my EVERYTHING? I think not. I need a ton more than Him to keep me happy…my husband, my children, my relatives and friends, my ministry, activities that add value and worth to my life, and some FUN, for heaven’s sake! Is it possible to really experience God in such a profound, filling way that
nothing else is necessary?
Jesus often used physical realities to teach us spiritual truths...many times using our basic need to eat and drink to make His point. He told the Samaritan woman that whoever would drink the water He gave would never thirst…in fact the water would become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. He said another time that He was the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone would eat of that bread, he would live forever. He said if anyone was thirsty, he should come to Jesus and drink. He said we should not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life. He said he was the bread of God who gives life to the world. Whoever comes to Him will never go hungry and whoever believes in Him will never thirst! Sounds like a pretty satisfying way to live.
The prophet Isaiah spoke as inspired by the Holy Spirit, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat what is good and your soul will delight in the richest of fare! (Isaiah 55:1-2)
So I ask myself…what does it feel like to be satisfied with God? How will I know? Well, after a good meal I feel content, satisfied and energized. I’ve had enough food for my body. Evidences of a satisfied soul would be a mouth filled with praise (Psalm 71:8), a grateful heart, an attitude of prayer, joy (I Thes. 5:16) and peace that passes understanding (Phil 4:7). I don’t think any of these attributes depend on the prevailing circumstances. They simply are.
Satisfaction then must then come by a daily diet of spiritual food and drink - a constant returning to the Bread of Life and the Living Water! I think of that old chorus:
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul
Bread of heaven, feed me ‘til I want no more
Here’s my cup, fill it up and make me whole.
When I allow Jesus to finally permeate all the empty spaces in my soul with divine Bread and Water, I will then be truly satisfied. I'm not there yet - but my appetite is increasing.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Ps 34:8).
