Poor little chipmunk.  He must be starving because he’s stuffin’ himself.  He’s filled his cheek pouches full.  The seeds and grain at my bird feeder have turned into the chipmunk express buffet!!  He looks full.  Well, actually he’s still eating and still stuffin’!

Looks hungry doesn’t he?  I’ve looked that way eating Cheetos as I drive down the road.  I’ve seen other folks look that way as they exit the fish house.

How do you know when your hungry?  Stomach growls? An empty feeling inside?  Maybe even when the clock hits 12:00 you feel the need to eat just because…..

What makes you hungry? The smell of food cooking?  When you pass a Taco Bell/Dairy Queen/Wendy’s?  A commercial on TV can plant a thought in our brain.  Having a bad day? Then you need a snickers.  Hey, is your friend having a bad day…..they definitely need a snickers.  Oh, having a good day!  Then you must have stopped at McDonalds.  I never have figured out my cravings for Cheetos.  It’s mainly a habit.  Every time I’m traveling and I stop for gas, then it’s automatic that I get a snack.  Peanuts, nabs, chips, Coke, … any and everything seems to reach out to help quench my hunger.  Especially Cheetos!! They’re fun for everyone!  Nothing like having Cheetos crumbs on your shirt and also the tell tale sign of fingers covered and stained from orange salty crumbs.

Sure it’s tough traveling the roads these days and eating healthy.  I guess that fruit would be better for me…..wait there’s a PayDay candy bar.  Maybe I should drink more water…….whoa there’s a Big Gulp and it’s on sale!  Too bad this convenience store doesn’t have,………… no, there they are, Cheetos!… and they are in an extra large bag!!!!…..and it’s the crunchy kind!!!!

What makes you hungry for spiritual food?…… Oops, uh oh, never have much of a craving there huh?  Well, maybe it’s not the most natural craving that we humans get.  I mean it’s tough traveling on these spiritual journeys that you and I take these days and eating healthy spiritual food.  But I also know that my spiritual life can’t be sustained very well by eatin’ “Cheetos” for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and supper.  I need some good food.  Food from Mama’s kitchen consisting of home grown vegetables.  Food made from scratch.  I can smell the rolls, the corn, peas, taters, meat……..really don’t matter, long as it’s home made.

Psalm 107:8-10 (NKJV) For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

God’s in the spiritual food business.  He has a buffet as long as five picnic tables.  Just like back in the day when you would eat your Mama’s cooking.  You didn’t decide what to eat.  SHE DID!  You got to eat what was there in front of you.  You just need to come hungry…. and don’t be late.

Maybe that’s a little advice I’d like to share with you.  Focus on staying hungry for God’s Will and His Word.  He’s got a big time buffet of spiritually good food for you.  You don’t even need to decide what to eat.  Just show up at His table.  Show up hungry for this spiritual food.  Don’t be late.  Whenever I was late for supper growing up, it was because I was busy doing (and or eating) something else.  More to the point, if I was late for a meal, it was because I wasn’t hungry.  I more than likely had eaten something, (probably Cheetos), and now I had no appetite.  Not even for the Lemon Icebox Pie.  My bad,…… I shouldn’t have filled up on unfulfilling foods when the nourishing home grown meal was waiting for me.

Our decisions cost us sometimes.  Convenient empty food takes the place of a nourishing healthy meal.  I’m talking about spiritual food here.  Pray to God that He will help you with your cravings, your desires, your appetites.  Pray to Him that your soul will have a longing for the right things.  Remember God fills the hungry soul with goodness.  So, pack those cheeks full of His goodness!  Stay hungry!  And keep eatin’

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher (at the all-you-can-eat-spiritual-buffet)