Hunger Humbles Us...
Lack of food is that one thing that can very quickly remind us of how fragile we are; just how real, is our mortality. We begin to see our true weakness. Conversely, when we eat, we feel strong, our bodies are revitalised. That acknowledgement that this flesh is weak and delicate, brings us face to face with the reality of being mere mortal men. The man/woman who may have gloried in his/her accomplishments, his/her looks, his/her acquisitions...is brought low without food. Hunger humbles us. Deuteronomy 8:3 says, "he humbled you and allowed you to hunger". Do you notice that there is no pride in the beggar, regardless of the innumerable rejections, he keeps at it, because for that person, it is a matter of life or death.
During my very first fast (about 6 years ago), during what seemed like 5 hours of starvation, I had to admit to myself that humans really are mammals, whose uppermost physical NEED is food. God's word reminds us though that "life" and "living" is not just about meat (Luke 12:23), because that passes away in a blink, just as our bodies will perish without food. Our real life which is eternal, is not as a result of sustenance by food, it is Life in and through Jesus, our Redeemer. In Him is true Life.
But what about ‘Life’ the Verb; this thing that we do daily; eat, drink and live. We must know that the way we live, and I mean truly live, must be according to God's counsel. We are not living, if we are merely existing, eating and working, with the occasional recreation. Real ‘Life’ and ‘Living’, is living according to God's way, His Will and His Purpose for your Life. I've seen so clearly the need for God our creator, when that one thing that the mortal body needs, is taken away. While our survival depends on the provision of food and water, our strength and very existence is in and with God. How weak we are without Him; How vulnerable; How miserable! We realise that when that basic need is lacking, nothing is more important. We cannot worry about work or school or relationship. Our primal need is not satisfied.
Fasting forces us to seek only what we need as everything else fades in importance. Since our primary physical need is food and our core spiritual need is relationship with God, fasting brings a new and real meaning therefore to the scripture that we ought to seek God and His Kingdom first and then all the other things will be given to us (Mathew 6:33). Our Spiritual need, trumps our physical needs, all the time! That's why the disciples counted persecution and even death as a blessing (Phillipians 1:20-23), because the glory found in everlasting life is far better than just preserving this mortal body. God loves us, created us, gave us Life, and it is this Life that gives true meaning to living.
I now thank God for my meals with a new understanding that it truly is a blessing from God. I live by God's provision of eternal Life, by the redeeming blood of His son Jesus and of
course his provision of daily bread. To God be the Glory.
~Krystal Baynes-Hoseinee~
