A personal note on Manna

One day, on one of the first trips I took to Jamaica, I remember sitting in the evening several days into the trip and realizing I wasn't hungry. In fact, I realized I hadn't cared about food in several days or thought much about it. The reason I was stunned momentarily is because that is my great struggle, or actually the symptom of my great struggle to be precise. So I think, "whoa...what's up with that?!" As I sit and pray, the Lord leads me to a scripture that blows me away. The disciples have gone into town to get some food, and Jesus has encountered the woman at the well. He's sitting there waiting for them, and they return and urge him to eat. He responds, "I have food to eat that you don't know of." They immediately begin to assume someone brought him food. John 4:34


"My food, is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."


Why didn't I care about food? Because I was doing the will of the Father. At first I thought, wow, I've found the answer to the 'great hunger.' It was partially correct. There is great satisfaction in being used by God. It is a craving in every soul to make some sort of difference, good or even bad for those who hate Him. But it's taken me longer to properly diagnose more precisely what was going on. When on a mission trip...you are thinking of nothing except, Jesus, and your task at hand. There are no mundane worries, interruptions, and mindless busyness to distract you. Your busy, but there is purpose, focus...passion. Even that is not the secret though....the secret is how this purpose, focus and passion is acquired.


Matthew 6:33, "Seek me first, and all these things will be given to you."


I was spending more time with God seeking Him, asking His will, looking for His purpose. I had my mind on one thing. Jesus, and what He wanted of me. As the Lord met me in my secret place, I was filled. Only to go be poured out...that sense of satisfaction....to be emptied and then to be filled again, by Him. Nothing less than the presence of God himself. We drain ourselves with our daily lives, and if we're not spending quality time with Him getting filled, then we will fill the emptyness. And if we are serving without being filled with Him, this to will drain us. Jesus made a point to go off by himself to pray and be with the Father.
He said He only did what He saw the Father do. He was focused on that one thing, to glorify the Father and reveal Him to us.
I have learned that to focus on my 'one thing', Jesus, brings health to all area's of my life. Oh, it's a fight. I have habits from years of behavior. But more and more the things of life, pale in comparison to Jesus Christ, to seeking Him, enjoying His presence, and serving Him. I've experienced no sudden deliverance....it's just this slow process where He turns my eye's from worthless things. Time is short...whether I die or Jesus comes back, it's short. After committing to monthly retreats, morning study, worship, fasting, and just soaking at His feet, my desires are changing. Jesus in, garbage out. And He becomes the reward, not all the things the world looks for...recognition, praise, influence. We look for love, satisfaction, peace from so many dry wells, and broken cisterns. Human love, sex, money, education, position, prestige and power. And for Christians, the danger is even greater...we look for it in "good" things. Ministry, study, believing the right things and being "good". The great hunger....the thirst that we are desperately trying to satisfy is actually a gift within given by God and has one source of satisfaction. Jesus Himself.

The Shema that Jews recite says, "Hear O' Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, with all your soul and all your strength. "

Jesus reiterated that this was the first and most important commandment. Only until we have that in place will we then fulfill the second, which is like it.

And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. When the first is in place...the others will be in place, because when we are in love with Jesus....our desires change. We love what He loves.

How do you fall in love? By spending time with Him and most importantly being loved by Him. (He loved us first! Say yes to Him, and receive it) Read His word...not to memorize and quote scripture....to amass knowledge, but to intimately know the One you say you believe in. Pray...talk to Him. He actually doesn't speak King James English. He's hip! Set apart time to worship alone...sing to Him...dance a little! Tell Him out loud, "I love you Jesus!!" Fast...fasting is violent love. It breaks off unbelief...the terminal disease of the spirit. And most important....just be with Him and listen. You'll have to fight the urges to "do" something, the wandering mind....boredom....restlessness. But if you persevere, I guarantee, your going to receive something you didn't know was possible.