The Fat of God's Love

Scripture: "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

 

Tired?

You're probably tired. How do I know that? Because everyone is tired today. I am tired! The media, the to-do lists, the children, the job, the ministry, the hopes, the emotions...by the end of the day (or maybe by 10 am!), you're wiped! And if you're anything like me, your deep, desperate question is: How can I find the thing that is going to really, truly nourish me?

 

Unfulfilled

And that's a great question. I used to have this stockpile of things I would do when I got overwhelmed: read magazines, go shopping, watch a movie...all distractors. They didn't really solve my problem; they just distracted me from them for a while. But then, those things stopped working! Because I wasn't really feeding my true hunger. It's like I was starving for protein, but I just kept eating more and more potato chips. I was full, but not satisfied. And God knows all about this; He says here:

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to Me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food." (Isaiah 55:1-2)

 

True Nourishment

Good food that truly nourishes you. That's the kind of life Jesus promises you in John 10:10. He said, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." So what really satisfies? I have recently been studying nutrition, mainly because I haven't felt very well lately. And I came upon research that suggests that you really need a certain amount of healthy fat in your diet (like olive oil, fish, etc.) for your body to work the way it should. Fat actually makes you feel full and nourishes your body. I had not been eating that much good fat—eating all these other things instead—and I think my body was kind of starving. Do you feel this way emotionally and spiritually?

 

Two Women...Which are You?

Here's a picture of two women who were both filling themselves, but one ended up full, and the other still wasn't satisfied. I want you to see who you most relate with:

"As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)

The Fat of Life

Just one thing to be concerned about: and that was filling up with the words and presence of Jesus. In your life, as with Martha, there are a million pressures that tell you they're most important: making money, looking good, having that relationship, getting to the next "level." But what Jesus is saying here is that those things don't matter. They are the potato chips, but He is the fat. David said, "Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food." Psalm 63:3,5 If you've been living like Martha (and I know I have!), having Jesus in your home but not really experiencing Him, He is inviting you to be a Mary today. Jesus wants to satisfy you with the fat of His love and a living, breathing relationship with Him.

 

First Step

The first step is just to sit down in His presence, like Mary. Read His word in the Bible. Tell Him how you feel and what you need. It's a relationship, and God wants to relate with you. Will you give Him some of your time this week? Will you ask Him to help you become more of a Mary and less of a Martha? If so, write a prayer to God in the Comments asking Him to help you be a Mary. He has a place right by His feet for you to come and listen to His satisfying words and begin to give you the rest you are really looking for.