An Appetite for God’s Word

Many people fast at the beginning of the year, seeking more of God (His Presence, wisdom, revelation, guidance, etc.)  It seems that one of the benefits of fasting is to produce a change in appetite.  The ODB devotional for the 2^nd of January this year also speaks of appetite.

Much encouragement is being given those in Christendom to delve into God’s Word this year – to read, to study, to meditate upon, to live and abide in His Word.  These things together (fasting and being in the Word of God) make me think about Moses’ exhortation to the children of Israel:

Deuteronomy 8:1-3 (KJV)

All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.

² And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

³ And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

… and Jesus’ reference to it during His wilderness fast:

Matthew 4:1-4 (KJV)

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

³ And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Dear Lord, give us Your people (called by Your Name), today and every day (by Your great and tender mercies that are new every morning and endure forever), an increasing appetite for the things of You so that we may desire to live by every word which “proceedeth” from Your mouth.  And as we delight ourselves in You, O God, thank You for Your faithfulness to Your Word to give us this desire in our hearts, and to grant us this desire of our hearts.  In Jesus’ precious Name I pray, Amen.

Song: This Day (Edwin Hawkins)

… and my journey with my God continues …