Dinner Time

 DINNER TIME

“Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” - Psalm 81:10

Did you have a good meal on Thanksgiving Day? I did. In fact, I'll probably have to loosen my belt another notch. There's nothing like enjoying a great meal with family. I've enjoyed seeing pictures on Facebook of families gathering around a dinner table for Thanksgiving.

All of this causes me to wonder. What would happen in America if Christians were as zealous about spiritual food as they are about natural food? What if our hunger for spiritual things exceeded our appetite for the Thanksgiving dinner? How many people would be in church on Sunday if they had a hunger for God and His Word? How would our lives be different?

God gives us a great invitation: “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Just as a baby bird opens its mouth for the mother to feed it, we should open our mouths for the Lord to feed us Himself.

The real problem is our lack of appetite. When you eat too much junk food, your appetite diminishes when dinnertime arrives. The devil has been very successful in keeping Christians busy feasting on junk food. Television and the internet devour our time and ruin our spiritual appetite. It is not uncommon for a man to drive hundreds of miles, just to sit in the cold for three hours so he can cheer his favorite football team. The same guy will find it difficult to go to church the next day. If he does go, he will complain if the service lasts more than an hour. Junk food ruins the appetite.

Job once said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” WOW! What would our churches be like if every member had a greater hunger for God's Word than for their next meal? What would your life be like if you had an insatiable hunger for the Lord? We need our spiritual appetite restored.

When Jesus fed 5,000 people, the Bible says, “And they did all eat, and were filled.” The people ate until they were full. On Thanksgiving Day, you probably ate until you were filled. When I finished eating on Thanksgiving Day, I bragged on the food and the cook. I felt good! The meal was satisfying.

When was the last time that happened to you spiritually? When was the last time that you left church satisfied? When was the last time you feasted on God's Word and walked away feeling wonderful? Do you recall a time when you enjoyed church so much that you couldn't quit talking about it?

Isaiah 55:2 says, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” The Lord is challenging us to seek food that truly satisfies. Why waste time and money on anything less?

The Bible says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Notice that this famine is not a famine for the preaching of the Word. Instead, it is a famine for the hearing of the Word. In my opinion, this prophetic verse describes the spiritual landscape of America today. The Word is available, but most will not hear it.

In 2 Kings chapter 7, the people of Samaria were starving. The had a dire need. Four lepers finally said, “Why sit we here until we die?” In their desperation, they put their lives on the line and went seeking food. Ultimately, their act of desperation was rewarded by the Lord. Not only were the lepers fed, but the famine in Samaria came to an end.

It is time for Christians to rise up and say, “Why sit we here until we die?” Why should our churches die? Why should families be destroyed? Why should we just sit idly by and watch souls perish? It is time to throw away the junk food and come to God's table.

When His disciples were dragging fish to the shore, Jesus gave them an invitation: “Come and dine.” The Lord prepared a meal for His disciples. Did you know that Jesus could cook? Can you imagine how good the food was?

He poses the same invitation to us. The Bible says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Come and dine. It is dinnertime right now.

Open your mouth wide … and He will fill it.