The Bible over Food

"Send us Bibles. Don't send us food. We don't need food; we need the Word of God," I heard the sweet voice of an Indian man on the radio say. Then the voice of many men sang behind him, "Amen!"

These men truly understand that Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35). They are hungry, but they understand that it is better to be undernourished physically than to be malnourished spiritually. They would rather have a shriveling stomach than a shriveling heart.

I live in a country with stores so full of food it can take an hour to get through the store and fill your cart.  You can drive the food home in your air conditioned car and stuff your freezer and pantry until the doors barely shut.  I do not know want in this area of life, but I often have want in my spiritual life. 

Yet I have seven Bibles in my home and a book self full of commentaries and a lap top with wireless Internet where I can search for even more study materials and sermons and can read the Bible in any translation I want. I do not know what it is like to not have a Bible. I have never had to choose between a Bible or food.

How dare I ever go a morning without a healthy portion of God's Word filling my heart and then walk through the day in darkness without my lamp, so that I stumble and disgrace my God.  How dare I go a day without meditating on God's Word in such a way that I become transformed into the likeness of Christ.  How dare I let my Bible collect dust when my brother's and sister's across the globe are crying out for the nourishment of their soul, while I cry out for nourishment like a blind woman with Thanksgiving dinner before her and starve.

How foolish. I will put relationships and entertainment and work and sleep and chores and meals before spending time with God in His Word.

Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness. Psalm 119:33-40

One can only find contentment in the Lord.

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