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SOUNDING OUT:
How's Your Appetite?
We are familiar with two of the Greek
words translated "fill" in the King James Version
from our study of the "holy spirit field:" pletho
and pleroo. But, there is another Greek word with which
we will become more familiar today: chortazo. Chortazo
means "to feed," "to fill," or "to
satisfy." This filling varies according to appetite.
Its measure depends on the individual.
How hungry are you? What's your appetite
today for the things of God? We know what physical hunger
and thirst are, and how they can press us for their fulfillment.
However, there are appetites for spiritual realities that
can be ever so rich and rewarding. In the fourth of the
beatitudes Jesus describes the blessedness of those who
hunger the thirst after righteousness.
Matthew 5:6:
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled [chortazo].
What blessedness indeed! God promises
to fill the longing soul and to satisfy its hunger. Note
all three parts: they that hunger and thirst, the righteousness
they desire, and the filling that is promised. "The
Preacher" says, and the fool often discovers that
"he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with
silver" (Ecclesiastes 5:10), but Christ says that
they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness shall
be filled. Not everything satisfies, but righteousness
is a natural and essential food of the soul.
Isaiah 55: 1,2
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,
and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea,
come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken
diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and
let your soul delight itself in fatness.
There is so much that is sought that
does not satisfy. Isaiah invites all to come partake freely
of God's goodness. The benefactor has provided, and if
we desire to come, we can partake of the bounty freely.
(This orientalism is explained more fully in Part II of
Living in God's Power.) When we are blessed, we respond
to God in like manner. The Psalmist cries:
Psalms 103:1-5:
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all
thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth
thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy
youth is renewed like the eagle's.
It is the Lord that forgives, heals,
redeems, crowns, and satisfies. As we are satisfied with
good things our youth is renewed. Praise God, His bounty
is immeasurable. He provides; He preserves and sustains;
He fills and satisfies. He moves us to longing, and it
is He for whom we ultimately long. The Psalmist also sings:
Psalms 63:1:
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul
thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry
and thirsty land, where no water is;
Not many of us have known physical thirst
to that extent. Pray God we come to know it spiritually.
Psalms 73:25,26:
Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon
earth that I desire beside thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength
of my heart, and my portion for ever.
When we focus our desire that intently
on God, He will be our strength and portion forever. Our
desire for intimacy and communion with God comes to fruition
through a knowledge of Him. (II Peter 1:2-4; Colossians
1:9,10) Our hunger leads us to taste, and when we taste
we find it sweeter than honey in a honeycomb.
Psalm 34:8;
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the
man that trusteth in him.
Psalm 119:103:
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter
than honey to my mouth!
That is why we are encouraged to seek
it out so we can mature.
I Peter 2: 2,3
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby:
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Remember, God is not fickle. He does
not dangle His promises before us and recall them at His
whim. His promises are "Yea! and Amen!" He had
them recorded so we could count on them. When we hunger
after righteousness we will be satisfied. Remember Proverbs
10:24b says, ".the desires of the righteous shall
be granted."
We are blessed. While the desires of
others are eagerly set upon gaining riches, pleasure,
and honor in the world, ours is set upon God and His righteousness.
Some folks will eat anything. Blessed is the man whose
appetite is trained and whose diet is consumed with the
good things of the Most High God that satisfies the longings
of our souls.
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