My thirteen-year-old son is an eating machine. He is six feet tall and wears a size fourteen shoe. He has been growing like a weed and doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. I am constantly asked where my offspring gets his height? I always reply the same, “I honestly don’t know, but I’m not complaining because he loves to play basketball.”
Especially during growth spurts, Zack can really put away some food. He doesn’t discriminate either. My son will eat meats, sweets, fruits, veggies, and breads. You name it – he wants it. There are days it seems I don’t even step foot out of my kitchen because of his constant state of hunger. Even after eating a huge meal, my son is still scrounging in the pantry to find more food. His appetite cannot be satisfied. In his words, he is starving. He always needs just a little bit more.
Wouldn’t it be great if I were starving too? No, not starving from being on the latest fad diet. But starving to dig deeper into God’s Word. How wonderful it would be if I had an enormous appetite for studying the Bible and praying. I petition the Lord to bless me with a hunger to know Him in a deeper, more personal way. To never be satisfied – always wanting more.
I love the passage of Scripture from Deuteronomy that describes when Moses talked to the Israelites about God’s Word. Moses told the people that God’s Word was meant to be studied so it can be applied in their lives and passed on to others. That’s a good reminder for me. The Bible isn’t filled with idle words. Those words require action. I need to learn more of God’s Word so I can diligently share it with others.
I hope my children will discover the importance of reading and applying the Scriptures to everyday life. As difficult as it is now for me to satisfy my son’s appetite, he won’t always be classified as my eating machine. Hopefully a steady diet of the Bible, fruits, and veggies will keep him very healthy.
Aspire for God to lavish a spiritual hunger in you that will help you grow and mature in His grace.
(Photo courtesy of morguefile and AllisonWeeks.)
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Alisha Ritchie is a wife, mother of two wonderful children, physical therapy assistant by profession, and dedicated church member and Sunday school teacher. She resides in the small town of Stanfield, North Carolina, where she enjoys writing, spending time with her children, and ministering to others through her work and small group Bible studies.