"Searching the Scriptures and Seeking the Lost"
Have We Lost Our Appetite?
by Wayne Jones
Picture, if you will, a boy around the age of 15 who has not eaten in three or four days. He is standing at the front of a buffet line. There are mountains and mountains of food there for his taking. However, with a shrug of the shoulders and a wave of the hand, he bypasses the mashed potatoes, the gravy, the fried chicken, etc. In sheer amazement, you ask him about his health, about his emotional status. After all, he must be sick if he is not going to eat. His reasoning is puzzling, but simple; he is just not hungry. You could stand there for the next half hour and encourage this young men to eat by describing to him how delicious the food is. You might even explain that some have spent hours cooking so he could enjoy it. When that fails, you might warn him of the dangers of going any longer without eating. Still, unappreciative and uninterested, this young man who is suffering from malnourishment simply walks away because he is just not hungry. The truth is, you could talk to him for hours upon hours, but until he is hungry your talking will do no good.
Such is equally true of spiritual food which is laid before us in the Word of God. Job had developed an appetite for spiritual food that exceeded that for physical food: “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12). Peter pictured the Christian as a newborn child who desperately needed God’s word for their very survival and growth (1 Pet. 2:2). Christ pronounced heaven’s blessings on the man who hungers and thirsts after righteousness (Matt. 5:6; cf. Psalm 119:172).
As difficult as it is for us to imagine a teenage boy going three or four days without eating (most do not even go three or four hours), some go that long between spiritual meals every week. Sermons have been preached and articles (such as this one) have been written, tears have been shed, pleas have been made and warnings have been issued, but some, with merely a shrug of the shoulders and a wave of the hand, walk away from the spiritual feast which has been prepared for them. These feasts are prepared each Lord’s day and each midweek when preachers and teachers alike spend hours in planning their lessons. These feasts are prepared when the elders take the initiative and forethought to plan gospel meetings, lectureships and seminars. Each of these events help to further the spiritual knowledge and satisfy the spiritual appetite of the local members. Bible bowls, youth devotionals and such like events are also planned with this purpose in mind.
Sometimes we agonize and occupy our time with wondering what we can do get more to attend Bible class, special events and youth devotionals. Friends, simply put if we are just not hungry there is no sermon, article or phone call that will correct that problem!
It could be that some have spoiled their appetite with the “junk food” of the world. We may even begin to rationalize why we are not more interested in spiritual things. We may contend that time will not permit or that sporting events, work and school activities are more important. The simple truth in all of the above listed conflicts is this–we desire to be involved in those things more than the things of God. Some of us are just not hungry! Have we elevated the feasting and digestion of God’s word to be more important than any thing else? Or have we lost our appetite?