“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” (Luke 6:21, NIV2)

“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, NIV2)

Please consider the following two scenarios:

Scenario 1: You have snacked all day and you feel like you have just swallowed a whale. The thought of food makes you totally nauseous, but you’ve been invited to a banquet.

Scenario 2: You had a rough day at work. You got away from home without breakfast, and once at work, you were so busy that you didn’t have time to eat lunch either. You feel completely depleted of energy. When you finally arrive home it is 8 P.M. You smell something yummy. Your beloved spouse has prepared a simple meal just for you.

Which scenario would be the most appealing to you?

The hungry will be satisfied, but what about those who have never experienced hunger? Do they truly know what “satisfied” means? What about those who are completely devoid of spiritual hunger? Is it any wonder that most Pharisees and Sadducees could not tolerate Jesus’ presence?

What if we think we have it made in every aspect of our lives? We may think we are completely filled, but maybe, just maybe, we have been nourished by inferior nutrients, ones that make us feel full, but also blind us from our real condition.

If we don’t have a natural hunger for God, we will miss the boat! If we want to truly feel “satisfied”, hunger is a necessity!

Are we truly hungry?

I am not the kind of guy who snacks on sweets. In fact I usually try to avoid sugar. Bring me to a French bakery however, and the sight of the desserts displayed behind the glass really makes my mouth water. Why? Because I don’t find French pastries to be nearly as sweet as those produced in North America. It seems to me that the French put more emphasis in the pastry itself than in making it too sweet.

In a recent visit to Percé, Quebec, in the Gaspésie peninsula, we found a bakery that sold pastries made the French way. Guess what? I had one every day. I ate it slowly, delighting in each bite. And in the end, I was truly satisfied.

The hungry will be satisfied. May we enter this New Year with a hunger for God. Only then will we be become truly “satisfied”. May this be our New Year’s resolution.

Would you like a pastry from la Gaspésie? They are truly delicious!

Rob Chaffart

(To access the entire “Worthy are the Unworthy” devotional series, please click here.)