Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Matthew 21:18, “Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.”

Background

One of the amazing things about Jesus is that, as the infinite Son of God and eternal member of the Trinity, He was also a man. He has always existed, He knows how to breathe into dirt and make a human being, yet as an adult, say, He may not have remembered everything He did as a toddler, much like you and I cannot recall all the events of our childhood. But since He is God and man, everything about Him, all that He did and said, has spiritual significance for His followers. Even the fact that He was hungry carries with it a lesson for us. Consider Jesus as He was walking back to Jerusalem from Bethany that morning, hungry for something to eat. Even though He was walking that short trek between two towns that He has walked several times before, this particular time He happens to notice a fig tree by the road and goes over to it. Jesus is hungry and sees a fig tree along the way. Hungry for breakfast, Jesus sees a tree, a tree that probably would have gone unnoticed except for the fact that Jesus was hungry. His hunger opened His eyes to what might have ordinarily blended into the background. He was looking for food, so His eyes were on the watch for something to eat. Do you hear His grumbling stomach talking to you?

Application

The hunger, the desire for food had given Him a focus that allowed Him to see what was always there, but probably never noticed. And all around you, there are people who have been there for some time but never caught your attention. And the reason might be that you are not hungry to share with them what Jesus has given to you. For if the hunger to share the gospel is gnawing at you, your eyes and ears cannot help but be on the lookout for someone who needs it. Your hunger cannot help but drive you to share with those who are not only hungry themselves, but starving and dying without Jesus. So if you can’t see what’s around you, perhaps you’re not hungry enough. And if you need some food to share, go to His Word and let Him whet your appetite to share the Bread of Life.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to re-tune your sensors to those around you that have gone unnoticed. Let Him open your eyes to see how much hunger there is all around you.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words