Daily devotional, April 27, 2024 The buffet
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."
Psalm 34:8
One of the surefire ways to get oneself stuffed is to dine in an eat-all-you-can restaurant. A smorgasbord of everything that could appeal to one’s appetite. And since most buffet restaurants are relatively costly, diners try to make the most of the price they pay for and end up overeating.
As followers of Jesus we are also being called to dine in a buffet, but not of the food that perishes. To have sustenance that will truly satisfy without feeling uncomfortably full. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah quotes the invitation:
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
Isaiah 55:1
This invitation to a spread of food, is basically a call to us to come to Jesus. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, it is He whom we should seek. His words will give us both spirit and life, and when we seek, meditate and abide in it, we could live a full life.
"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,and delight yourselves in rich food."
Isaiah 55:2
When we partake of what the Lord offers, He also promises that we will have eternal life. In the Gospel of John, Jesus was quoted as saying to a Samaritan woman that the water that He offers is not like the water that could only temporarily quench thirst.
"Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14
So how does the Lord fill us? We will be filled with the Lord when we surrender our lives to Him and make Him the center of our lives. When we abide in Him, and make every decision of our life rooted in His teachings, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We get to be filled with His peace, and we will feel content – satiated — lacking in nothing. We do not look at what others have, instead we have a deep knowledge that since we have Jesus in our life, that is all that matters.
Likewise our hearts will be at peace because our conscience is clear and our mind is filled with God’s truth. When we dig into our memories, it is filled with stories of blessings and past deliverance. When we look into our present, our daily actions are guided by God’s loving words. And when we look into our future, we are filled with God’s hope.
"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:17-19
Let us a take a cue form the Prophet Jeremiah, who amidst His seeming depression, and pain, continued to draw strength from God’s word. That his focus remained on God’s words and promises, and from there he tried his best to endure.
"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts."
Jeremiah 15:16
And so, when he uttered the prayer, the Lord responded and assured the prophet that He will protect and deliver Him.
"And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord."
Jeremiah 15:20
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on John 4:5-26 and Jeremiah 15:15-20 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you also want to be filled with Jesus?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for offering to fill me with your love and peace. I know that it is only you who can truly fill me up with good, and as such will lack nothing. Grant me the confidence to continue seeking you so that I could live a life filled with your abundant grace and mercy. Amen.