Melissa, thank you for sharing your space here. For making room to view God at work in the stories He is writing. For allowing us all to see that our feet, imperfect and messy and beautiful as they are, lead us closer to Him. I hope you all don't mind walking with me today...
For a long time food has been my false satisfaction. My go-to when the thoughts are too many, the pain is too hard, the day is too quiet.
Maybe you have a go-to like that? TV, novels, an activity-packed schedule, reading every blog you can find, to avoid hearing your own thoughts?
Almost a year ago now a Bible study brought this verse to my life: "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." The moment I heard it the verse sank into my heart and has been there ever since. For a time I prayed it out loud every day.
What would it look like to be completely satisfied by God's love? To sing for joy and be glad even when my thoughts are jumbled, my circumstances are uncertain, and my relationships are falling apart? Instead of looking to food, a phone call with a friend, or a full shopping cart at the departments store for distraction, what would it look like to sit with God and let Him fill me?
The opposite of this is found in Psalm 17:14. David is asking God to deliver him from "men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants."
If my portion is in this life, it is the world I seek to fill me. Some might seek it in long hours at work. Others might seek it in friendships or marriage. Some may think motherhood is the secret to being finally fulfilled. For others (like me) it could be something more temporary, like a 1/2 gallon of ice cream or spending too much on a new outfit or deadening the battery on your computer. Some of these things can be good and God may use them in our lives, but only when they bring us to a deeper understanding of who He is, and who we are in Him.
And when we seek success in this life we often do receive an earthly treasure. Bigger incomes, nicer homes, more children, better vacations, an abundance to leave for the security of our children. Even abundance to give to people through causes around the world.
We may also receive a burden of constant thirst and striving. Always thinking the next step will bring fulfillment and it may, for a time, but we will always be searching for more because the world will never satisfy.
David reminds us where true satisfaction, fulfillment, fullness lies. In Psalm 17:15 he says, "As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness."
Do you feel the goosebumps rising? One day we will be there with Him. We shall behold His face in righteousness, and be satisfied. Satisfied by His likeness.
We live in a sin-filled world and may even be living a sin-filled life at the moment. But as a follower of Jesus my hope is to be growing more like Him in the time He gives. His Word teaches me how but it is my choice to obey, the choice to turn to Him first when the battle is wearing me out, that leads to the life He has planned for me. For the life that will break me and crush me and mold me and cause me to rejoice and to praise and to dance is what will form me to His likeness. And then I will be satisfied. When I am like him, a servant. As I follow the example of Jesus and serve, He will continue to fill me.
When there is less of me, more of Him, I will be filled.
Father, may we have a desire to be satisfied only by You. And may we continue to seek You and to follow the example of Your Son Jesus until we behold Your face in righteousness. Satisfy us with Your love, O Lord.
A bit about me: I am a lover of words, a studier of the Word, and have been a follower of Jesus for about 12 years. For the past six years I have been married to the one I hated saying goodnight to during all of those dating months. We have an irresistible almost 2-year-old girl who loves to make people smile and the three of us are just rolling along as God leads, looking forward to all he has for us!
To see more of this 30 day journey you can visit Satisfied By Love.
Lovely post! Less of me, more of Him, fill me Lord!! Amen!
ReplyDeleteWhat would it look like to sit, be still, and let God fill me? Wonderful question to ponder today. I want more of God - all that He has to give!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post! And yes, I know what it's like to be looking for fulfillment in the wrong things or in distraction rather than just letting God fill us. What a good reminder for the Thanksigiving season.
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