I am a craving type of person. I crave Banana Cream Pie. I crave Diet Coke. (to offset the banana creme pie) I crave the Word of God. I crave so many things.
Crave (def) -feel a powerful desire for (something). God’s word is very helpful about focusing our cravings on spiritual things. The Holy Spirit sets into motion a craving for God and His Word, and Jesus sets the foundation for our cravings in Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So our first craving should be His Kingdom and His righteousness. I am going to list some “craving” info below. Your list may be different than this one but it may jump-start your thinking about what you crave in life.
Crave God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness. Everything else falls into place behind these two great and final truths. Our very essence as a person hinges on seeking God first in all things and then everything else trickles down from there.
Crave the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, A believer who never gets into God’s Word is a hollow person. They have no depth, no necessary filling in their lives. Too many times we are FAT with the world’s way of living and very ANEMIC in the Word of God. Our cravings must be in line with the reality of following God and Him alone.
Craving does give us satisfaction. John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. This salvation water source is fresh and new all our lives and it causes a great craving for more and more as it quenches our thirst eternally. The quenching doesn’t stay with us but is offered through us to all who might be seeking. Our satisfaction equals sharing that satisfying gospel with all the people we meet.
Craving is ongoing. It is not like we aren’t happy with our life, but that we know God has so much more to show us and we long to get to know more of Him and His ways. This is what is known as a “growing faith.” 2 Timothy 1:6, For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. When you have a fire that has died down you get it going again by adding kindling to it. This is wood that fires up immediately and becomes hot very quickly. Paul’s word to Timothy were words we should all be drawn to. Don’t let your faith dwindle with time, but throw on more kindling to get it burning bright again. Some might call this soul revival. I agree with that term and I want to emphasize that those who truly know Jesus will never totally fall away from the faith, It does mean that from time to time we can become weary and stagnant and some fresh Holy Spirit kindling will add the fuel we need for a fresh and hot fire.
Craving has an end to it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is coming soon and we should use our life for sharing that message. As we grow in the Lord we become “sanctified” and that means we look more and more like Jesus. We also “think” more and more like Jesus because more and more of His Word is taking shape in our lives from the inside out.
What do you crave? Base level says we should crave the Kingdom of God and His righteousness FIRST! And let the cards fall where they may after that happens.
The Pilgrimage continues…
David Warren
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