Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Filling the Spiritual Void in Us

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
John 6

"In contrast to animals, which have only physical urges and desire, human beings crave spiritual fulfillment as well. When this spiritual need goes unmet, humans feel vague unrest. While hunger, thirst, or the sex drive are easily identified, spiritual craving is harder to recognize and fulfill. People may feel that something is missing, but not know what that something is." (Abraham J. Twerski, Addictive Thinking)

People turn to any number of practices to fill this spiritual craving or unrest. Many turn to drugs or alcohol or sex only to discover that they do nothing to solve this unmet spiritual need. Jesus offered the woman at the well living water that would forever quench her spiritual thirst and fulfill her spiritual need. In chapter 6 of John's gospel, Jesus offered a crowd of over 5,000 people, "living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever." (verse 51) Speaking metaphorically, Jesus told them He was that living bread. "Anyone who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." (verse 54)

As so many do, though, many in this crowd to whom Jesus was speaking wanted physical bread that would perpetually meet their physical hunger, rejecting the fulfillment of their spiritual hunger that only Jesus can meet. Initially, this was the response of the woman at the well. She wanted physical water that would perpetually meet her physical thirst and save her from going daily to the well to draw water.

May we quit settling for poor substitutes that only mask, for a time, the spiritual unrest that is within us. May we reach out to the only One - Jesus - who can truly meet that spiritual need and discover that all other needs become less significant when the spiritual need is truly met.

No comments:

Post a Comment