Being Filled to Satisfaction

By Peter Crause

Jeremiah 31:14 and I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says the LORD.

Satiate means to “fill to satisfaction”. We used to sing a song of worship that was a prayer for this:

Fill my cup Lord

I lift it up Lord

Come and quench this thirsting in my soul

Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more

Fill my cup; fill it up and make me whole.

David said; “As the deer pants for the water-brooks, so longs my soul for thee!” In another Psalm we read “deep calls unto deep” – there is a depth of void in us that can only be filled with the Infinite God.

Jesus said; “They that hunger and thirst after righteousness (God is righteousness); shall be filled.” All we have to have is a hunger. All we need to present to the Lord is a hunger. All we should desire is to be satiated; filled to overflowing; nurtured and fed by the Living Word by His Holy Spirit.

We are all aware of the many needs of our physical bodies. We spend untold hours in providing for these needs – so much so that they become the focus of our entire existence. We plan and save for our future needs; when we know we will stop being productive and earning the necessary means. We anticipate the day we can “retire” and enjoy the fruits of our lifelong labors. These things are right and proper, and should be done; however the question is: “How much time and effort do we spend in seeking the only One who can satisfy the needs of our inner man?” That inner itch each person has is pushed aside. Some souls have so suppressed that inner need that the drive to acquire material wealth is all-consuming; making them mean, obnoxious people.

David said; “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Just think of the foods and drinks we like. How many knew they liked these things before they tasted them? Silly question indeed! We can only like something we have personal experience of. How can you enjoy the Lord unless you’ve tried and tasted His goodness?

I must at this time offer a stern warning, once you’ve tasted; you’re hooked! The more you taste, the more you want – the more you want – the more you want. Nothing will satisfy your hunger for the Lord than the Lord Himself.

Fatness implies excessive overabundance. The Lord has promised to satiate His priests with “fatness” – and aren’t we a kingdom of priests unto our God? We need only present our hunger and thirst for the Lord to begin to experience being sated with His superabundant blessing and presence in our lives. We can be satisfied with His goodness.

Oh that we would hunger and thirst yet more and more for His fullness. The Lord has great desire to reveal Himself and His ways to us. We were made for fellowship with Him. We were made to need Him. He is so infinitely great that no matter how much you need – there’s more. The depths of God are unfathomable.

Someone said once; “We have too much of the Lord to really enjoy the world; and too much of the world to enjoy the Lord.” Could the lack of hunger and thirst for God be because of this? Could the deep dissatisfaction we sometimes feel be because the Lord is calling us to seek His fullness – and we mistakenly misinterpret it and feverishly seek it in fleshly pursuits? Studying theology and things about God will not satisfy the soul – it may tickle the intellect and satisfy the questions of the mind; yet leave the soul barren and dry – does this make any sense? If our learning doesn’t drive us to seek His fullness experientially in our lives it is really of no value – the hunger is not satisfied.

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Deeper death of self-interest will make us more aware of our hunger for the Lord. I’ve become so dissatisfied with mediocrity – how about you? God is calling His people to unity and a closer walk with Him. He desires to satiate us with fatness and satisfy us with His goodness. Present your “empty stomach” to the Lord and let Him fill it with good things – Himself! God grant us a stirring within to seek Him – until we are satisfied with the “bread of heaven”.

Fill my cup Lord. I lift it up Lord – please quench this thirsting in my soul!