When we spend time reading the Bible, our spirit is eating a meal

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”  Matthew 4:4

(ICB)  Jesus was in the desert and was fasting – for 40 days, no food of any kind.  Imagine not eating anything for forty, 40, FORTY days!  Not one bite, nadda, zip, zilch, nothing.  One would be VERY hungry.  I’m pretty sure, no I am sure I could not do this.

Jesus was and is God, not merely the Son of God.  So He therefore could have given Himself food at any time.  Then along comes Satan and lays on the temptation.  “So if you really are the Son of God, turn some of this stone into bread.”  Jesus says, “not happening.”  Impressive.

So what’s the first lesson we learn from this verse?  Probably not what you are thinking.  Satan although the ruler of this world, cannot defeat Christ.  God can’t be defeated by Satan or by anyone else, He is sovereign in and over all things, be they in Heaven, or on earth.  God cannot be tempted, and God cannot sin.  He is in complete control of all things and at all times.

Food is important, without it at some point we would die.  Yet at the same time our spirit lives on because our spirit (like God’s) is eternal (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

We hunger, so we eat, this is a repetitive cycle, we eat and the hunger goes away – but the feeling of hunger always returns.  But according to Jesus, we do not live by bread alone.  What is that supposed to mean?

Our bodies are not the only thing that “hunger.”  Our body is merely the temporary earthly home of our eternal spirit.  Our spirit is what makes us “us.”  That spirit was hard-wired with a need, a “hunger” if you will.  Your spirit and mine; hunger for the Word of God, we hunger inside our innermost being for God Himself.

When we spend time reading the Bible, our spirit is eating a meal.  Naturally, just as your body hungers for food to eat, your spirit also hungers for food, spiritual food.  Reading the Bible, Bible study, worship, godly fellowship, prayer – these are all spiritual meals for our spirit.  Ever notice that after really good worship, an inspiring sermon, a time when the Bible spoke to you, or some great fellowship with friends – that you felt really good?  Your spirit just had a top-of-the-line meal, with dessert.

Those who don’t do these things, or do some or all of these things in a lackadaisical manner, are hungry, or even down-right starving.

Yes believe it or not, our spirits can starve, becoming wan and pale, sickly.  Just think of when for whatever reason you have not had a meal in an abnormal amount of time, be it sickness, maybe extended fasting etc., remember how that felt, not very good right?  And then a meal fixed the problem and you felt a lot better.  It’s no different with our spirit, a good meal goes a long way to restoring the vitality of our spirit.

This really should not come as any surprise too anyone – we were designed if you will to be in constant contact with our God.  God isn’t meant to be a Sunday only event.  Ok God, we had some time together, now back into the closet You go, see You next Sunday.

So are you hungry?  When is the last time you ate a meal?