Only the Hungry

God lives and works today. What a joyous message. But who can experience his reality? Not the rich and satisfied, but the poor people who are lacking everything.

Listen to the following meditation by Basilea Schlink called, Only the Hungry. In John 6 verse 35, Jesus says, He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. In other words, Jesus likes to have spiritually hungry children around him.

That is, those who need much, he loves especially. Why? Simply because they are in such need. I'm reminded of Paul Reidinger, one of the co-founders of our sisterhood.

How happy it made him to help those in need. At the end of World War II, because it was a time of hunger and poverty in Germany, it brought him all the more joy to be able to visit us and surprise us with a gift of food. And when he saw our joy and delight, his whole face would beam.

This is just a weak human illustration. But consider the joy of our Lord Jesus when he has many spiritually hungry children. On them, he can pour out the riches of his kingdom.

Blessed, how blessed poor beggars can be. Who taste of the riches their father gives free. The bounty of God's own providing.

When do we bring joy to Jesus? When we're spiritually hungry. That is, needy in every area of our lives. Our Lord Jesus and the Heavenly Father don't enjoy looking at sad, unhappy children.

This grieves God. It's true that he sometimes has to chasten us and make us sad, but he only does this in order to free us from sin, which would cause us deepest misery. Nevertheless, it's his greatest joy to be able to give us gifts, not to chasten us.

And his joy is doubled when he sees our happiness. Therefore, we must ask ourselves today, do we make Jesus happy by coming to him as hungry children who are lacking much? Do we ask him for the things we are lacking? Write down sometime everything that you need, and write down beside these items, Jesus says, if anyone hungers, let him come to me. I am the bread of life.

These words apply to all of our needs, even our material needs. When we practice coming to Jesus now, we will also experience his help in future times of trouble. Then we will experience that Jesus truly is enough.

In him, we have everything we need. Therefore, don't look to the left or right, trying to imagine how the help will come. Look to Jesus, and he will supply your every need.

Blessed are all who tread Jesus' own way. Twice blessed indeed, with the joy of today, and glory awaiting in heaven. You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan.

To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N.org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet. If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address. God bless you.