"'Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.'"
~Luke 6:25a (ESV)
John Piper often talks of how humans are far too easily satisfied. A young kid would enthusiastically take satisfaction in making mud pies because he can't imagine what is meant by holiday at the beach.
The word "full" here in the Greek is "ěmpiplēmi" or "ěmplēthō" ([1]) which means to fill in or up and to satisfy. One base Greek word implies "filling to the max." It is not talking about for food per se, but an overall filling of one's self that "makes no room" for anything else because one's satisfaction is in the here and now.
But Jesus mercifully warns us of this. If we fill ourselves with earthly treasures and think that the height of satisfaction, that is the height of ignorance for soon we shall realize, "If this is all there is to life, this is pathetic! I have no more dreams!" Soon the entertainment, fame, drugs, friends, possessions, relationships, immorality, money, or anything else we try to fill ourselves with other than Christ Himself--it will fail us and prove as an ugly deception. Worldliness and lust are ugly deceptions that do nothing but harden our hearts toward God, hinder the pursuit of God, and dull our sensitivity to the Lord's leading. Settle not for them! They lie to us! They do not deliver as advertised!
Our end is to hunger without satisfaction if we settle for less than God. The word "hunger" in the Greek, "pěinaō," means to famish--to crave and be hungered [2]. So what we think now to be our satisfaction other than God will leave us dying in starvation.
May we remind ourselves that Christ died to save us from this deceit! What a blessed relief! The Holy Spirit has opened our once darkened eyes to see what really matters and live life in the FREEDOM of the only satisfaction, Jesus Christ. Amen!
Challenge and Application Questions
- What things less than God most beg to be known as and claim to be satisfaction in your life?
- Do you remind yourself of the Gospel and that Christ died to save you from that deceit when you are tempted to seek satisfaction outside of God?
- In light of the Gospel, have the deceitful things of the world dimmed and been exposed for what they really are?
- How are you applying the Gospel to your Christian life of discernment?
- Strong's concordance (KJV), Greek Dictionary 1705. (Back to reading)
- Strong's concordance (KJV), Greek Dictionary 3983. (Back to reading)
1 comment:
Those words used are so powerful! As you have said, another amazing aspect is that the more we long for Him and His word, He will fill us, and will give us a longing for more. Sanctification as its finest!
Post a Comment