All You Can Eat
Today’s Verse:
Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. ~Song of Solomon 5:1b
Are you someone who enjoys eating at buffet restaurants? Buffet restaurants have a large variety of food, desserts, and drinks that you can choose from. Basically, you pay one price and eat as much as you want of anything. There is no limit on the amount that you can eat. Some people who have incredibly voracious appetites get more than their money's worth at a buffet restaurant. I think these restaurants make money on me since I am done after one or one and a half plates. When it comes to our spiritual appetite and desire, Jesus invites us to eat and drink abundantly.
We see the fundamentals.
An appetite is a basic fundamental of good health. If you do not have an appetite, that is an indication that you are either already filled or you have a sickness that is affecting your ability to eat. There is the creation of appetite. God has given us an appetite to let us know that we need to eat. Someone said, “There are those who live to eat and others who eat to live.” In both cases, eating is essential for proper nutrition, good health, and avoidance of starvation. There is the craving for an appetite. Sometimes, we have cravings for certain types of food. In some cases, it might be healthy food, and in other cases, not-so-healthy food. However, the point is that our craving helps us make sure we are eating to fill our stomachs. Spiritually, God gives us an appetite for the things of God. We are told to “taste and see that the LORD is good" and "as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word.” The first thing this morning is that we need to awaken our appetite for the Word of God and the presence of Christ in our life.
We see the feeding.
Jesus says, “Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” He gives us an invitation to come to the banquet table to eat. When you go to church, go with a desire to have your soul filled and your spiritual thirst satisfied. When you read and study your Bible, designate a predetermined, set time to eat of God’s Word. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Determine that these set times are for the feeding of your soul. He encourages us to indulge ourselves. He said to eat and drink abundantly. When I was about eleven or twelve years old, I had worked for ten hours at my father’s store on a Saturday, and by dinnertime, I was very hungry. We were invited to a restaurant opening that evening after work, and it happened to be an hour later than my usual dinner time. When it was time to get our food, I think my food was literally piled five to six inches high. All these adults passed by me and gazed at how much food this scrawny-looking child had on his plate. They wondered if I could eat all of it: I did! Jesus wants us to eat all that we can of His Word, His holiness, His love, and His presence to spiritually strengthen our lives.
We see the fulfillment.
When we have eaten and drunk to our heart’s satisfaction and know that we are filled, we have a “diner’s satisfaction.” When we satiate our soul with God’s Word, we can say like Jeremiah, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” Jesus invites us to take His yoke upon us and learn of Him. The more we get of Jesus, the more we want of Him. The hymn writer said, “More about Jesus would I know.” When you delight your soul in Jesus, you will discover that you cannot get enough of Him. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11).
Come to the buffet table of Heaven and remember that it’s all-you-can-eat!
Have a satisfying God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Thessalonians 1-3