Campfire: Third Evening

Anyone hungry?

Go ahead and grab some s'mores fixings and gather around the fire, because tonight we're going to discuss hunger.

Spiritual Hunger

If you'll join me in opening your Bible to Matthew 4:3-4, we'll read:

"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he [Jesus] 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."

At first glance, this verse seems to be saying that humans need more than physical food--that we are in need of spiritual food to fully live. And I believe that is true. First Peter 2:2-3 states,

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

It takes time to prepare a good meal, and it takes time to be spiritually fed by God's word and through prayer. When you pour out your heart to God, there is a very real comfort and satisfaction that nothing and no one else can bring, because God is our Provider, our Friend, and our Lord. He is in control, and He cares about us. Yet how often I neglect this truth!

God Provides

And this brings us to the reference given for the Scripture Jesus was quoting in Matthew--Deuteronomy 8:3. Let's take a look at this verse along with the preceding verse in chapter 8:

"And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live."

I think by seeing the context of the Scripture Jesus quoted, it seems that there is another element to Matthew 4:4, which is this: we are sustained by the very words of God, by His commands. God may give us food to live, but ultimately that shows it is His control that gives us our lives and the ability to live them. Sometimes, he suffers us to hunger. And sometimes he feeds us--something we take for granted.

Humility and Hunger

I do not claim to know what exactly Jesus meant when He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, but I think that perhaps He was alluding to the power of His Father. He was trusting His life in His Father's hands, because at that time, while He was fully God, He was also fully human. And He submitted to His Father's will, whether that meant being fed or not.

Consider some of the following verses in Deuteronomy 8:

"Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him....

When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

Lest when thou hast eaten and art full...then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."

(Verses 5-6, 10-12a, 14-18)

And there it is--a connection between hunger and humility.

When we are hungry (for love, for wealth, for success, for food, for hope, etc.), will we trust that God truly seeks "to do thee good at thy latter end"?

Will we believe that God chastens us because He loves us?

Will we realize that He tries us because He wants us to grow?

Will we remember and praise Him for what He has done when He provides for us?