What does it mean to be Hungry and Thirsty?

From a biological perspective, both hunger and thirst describe types of physical discomfort:

Physical symptoms of hunger are:

1. Stomach twinges which after some time can become painful
2. Weakness
3. Shakiness
4. Anxiousness
5. Difficulty Concentrating

All of this culminates in a great desire to satisfy this craving so that the discomfort will go away.

Symptoms of thirst are:

1. Dry mouth
2. Difficulty swallowing
3. Headache
4. Nausea
5. Difficulty Concentrating

We of course at some point begin looking for ways to satisfy this craving so that the discomfort will go away.

We're dependent upon food and water for life. Without them, we would surely die.

Oh... we've been known to skip a meal here and there, and sometimes we fast, or... for one reason or another, go for long periods of time without nourishment.

But at some point in time, we must return to the table.

And it's wonderful, isn't it... to satisfy our hunger and our thirst? Aside from our desire to stop the discomfort, we're attracted by the promise of feeling content and fulfilled once we've had a good meal.

On top of the relief and satisfaction we experience when we stop the hunger and quench the thirst, God has blessed us with the ability to truly enjoy the food and water we've been given for that purpose.

A friend of mine at work is fond of saying, "It's not a destination, it's a journey". He says that about anything that is just as rewarding to do... as it is having done it.

In other words, we are to enjoy the process, as well as the result.

"It's not a destination, it's a journey".

It's like that when we enjoy a good meal, isn't it? It's just as wonderful eating... as it is having eaten.

And throughout history, in just about every society known to man, there has been a special bond and fellowship enjoyed between people when they sit down to share food with one another.

So it comes as no surprise to us that there are so many references in scripture to gathering in fellowship for the purpose of enjoying food. And further, Jesus himself is referred to as the Bread of Life. In the 4th chapter of the Gospel according to John, in his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus tells the woman that he offers Living Water, "a perpetual spring within us, giving eternal life".

Similar our dependency on food and water for life, there is a very basic need common to every human being to come to know God on a very personal level, and to discover the purpose he has for our lives. It is as basic as eating, sleeping, breathing, and drinking.

Every one of us is born with a God sized hole in our hearts that only God can fill. Sadly, many spend their entire lives denying that this need exists. They build tough exteriors, designed to keep others out, and to bury their pain someplace deep inside. Some of these folks are very nice people, but they refuse to concede that they need anything from anyone. They're convinced that they are completely self-sufficient. They struggle and they fight their way through life, in an effort to live life without any help from others. Even when surrounded by crowds of people, this is a very lonely way to live.

As Christians, we have the promise of God's support and provision. This means never having to endure the problems of this world alone. Regardless of what we are going through, whether in prosperity or despair, God has promised to always be there for us and give us his peace.

Read Hebrews 13:5-6.

For a lesson on learning to be content in every situation:

Read Philippians 4:10-14.

And as we grow and mature as Christians we come to recognize how God has made good on this promises of presence, peace, and provision.

Personally, as I look back over my life, I recognize that it has been during the times of greatest difficulty and pain that I have experienced the periods of greatest spiritual growth. I'm sure that if you think about it, you could probably make this very same statement. God is faithful... God is ever present... God has given us his son as our personal savior, and he has given us his Holy Spirit as our friend, our guide, and our comforter.

Christ invites us to communion and companionship through faith in him and the resurrection.

It is only when we forget Christ's invitation to us to let him accompany us on our life's journey that our way becomes difficult and we feel like strangers in a strange land. We often exile ourselves from the fellowship of God's Spirit; we become enslaved to unimportant or sinful pursuits; we become too busy to include God and end up prioritizing God right out of our lives. But with the help of our brothers and sisters in the church and the gentle leadings of the Holy Spirit, God frees us and welcomes us back into his presence when we turn our hearts toward home.

As we journey through life, and experience God's loving forgiveness, his kindness, gentleness, and faithfulness, we come to understand that our walk with God is not just a goal, ...it is a process, and it is through this process that we develop a hunger and thirst for the Lord.

Oh... we've been known to skip a meal here and there, and sometimes we fast, or... for one reason or another, go for long periods of time without reaching out to God for nourishment.

But at some point in time, we must return to the table.

And isn't it wonderful to satisfy our hunger and our thirst for God through Jesus Christ? Aside from our desire to stop the discomfort, we're attracted by the promise of feeling content and fulfilled. This happens when we encounter God... through a great worship service, a heartfelt prayer, a powerful hymn festival, a camping retreat surrounded by nature, or just quiet time alone with Him... God is faithful.

On top of the relief and satisfaction we experience when we stop the hunger and quench the thirst, we're blessed with the ability to truly enjoy the "bread of life" and the refreshment that comes with the life saving "living water" that we have been given for that purpose.

Like the Psalmist, we are to recognize the blessings that the Lord has bestowed upon us; God's creation, and give thanks for them. God has been loving and kind; God returned his people to their homes from exile and provided them with spiritual food and water; God freed his people from slavery. We acknowledge on this Communion Sunday that we are often wanderers in the desert. We, too, cry to the Lord in our distress. The marvelous promise of the sacrament is that the Lord listens and always accepts us at the table. As we give our burdens to the Lord and then partake of the bread and wine, we remember Jesus' sacrifices and are filled with awe.

It is then that we are able to embrace our lives with joy, knowing that Christ will always lead the way, as we come to him, with a hunger and thirst for his righteousness.