What Food Do We Long For? Where Do We Look To Find It?

Scripture: "And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you."

Observation: Jesus' primary mission was (is) the spiritual restoration and revival of people. The spiritual has priority over the physical. That holds true for everyone, everywhere, in all times, even those on a deathbed where the physical need has almost brought the physical life to an end. Why? Because after the physical life (this present one) ends, the spiritual continues on. At first glance, my physical sins appear to cause the my spiritual separation from God and the subsequent spiritual deadness, but in fact the latter has caused the former.

Were the crowds looking for spiritual salvation? No. The people wanted Jesus to deal with the physical--physical freedom from Rome and masters, physical healing, physical monetary longings, physical hunger, physical aloneness, and whatever else they felt. I--we--often respond to Jesus similarly. Yet, the spiritual trumps the felt physical needs. Why? Because what we fail to see is that there is a spiritual equivalent that drives the physical longing or that represents or symbolizes the physical need. The physical is meant to point me to my deep spiritual need. Therefore, Jesus makes clear his true mission: "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Luke 6:32)

Doesn't that trivialize the physical needs of people? Not at all. Did Jesus trivialize them? No. Rather he never lost sight of the fact that the physical (1) is temporary and (2) never ceases to have needs (during this life, I mean). We will always want for food or healing or relationship in this life. It is an "endless" vacuum. Unfortunately, we can--and often do--meet all those needs, but fail to recognize or address the spiritual need that is also constantly calling for our attention. And if I give myself physical food, but fail to seek the food God offers through Jesus I am lost eternally to the consequences of my own sin. However, if I fail to feed my physical need, but I feast on the sustenance of God in Jesus this body may die, but I will immediately pass into eternal life with complete wholeness and no lack forever.

Application: In every moment that I have a need or desire in the physical, give pause to consider the spiritual lack that is driving said physical longing. Often after reflection on my spiritual emptiness and subsequent turning to God in prayer for satisfaction of that need, the physical becomes either less significant or more bearable. Let the physical needs remind me of my need for God and drive me toward deeper relationship with him.

Prayer: Lord, I bless you; oh, how I bless you! Your goodness is limitless. You have no need for anything--you are perfected perfection--and therefore you are here to give freely all that I need. And you give liberally by grace. I am free from any requirement to earn your favor and blessings. Jesus has finished it. But I continue to feel the need to be "better" and somehow deserve what you offer as a gift. Please open my eyes that I may see my real need in light of my true state of spiritual emptiness. Teach me to come to you for completeness and satisfaction. I love you. Amen.