When I was battling a bad cold recently, I lost my appetite. I could go
through an entire day without eating much food. Water would suffice. But I knew
I couldn’t survive long on water alone. I needed to regain my appetite because
my body needed nourishment.
When the people of Israel came back from exile in Babylon, their
spiritual appetite was weak. They had departed from God and His ways. To get
the people back to spiritual health, Nehemiah organized a Bible seminar, and
Ezra was the teacher.
Ezra read from the book of the law of Moses from morning until midday,
feeding the people with the truth of God (Neh. 8:3). And the people listened
attentively. In fact, their appetite for God’s Word was so stirred that the
family leaders and the priests and Levites met with Ezra the following day to
study the law in greater detail because they wanted to understand it (v.13).
When we feel estranged from God or spiritually weak, we can find
spiritual nourishment from God’s Word. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk
of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Ask God to give you a
renewed desire for relationship with Him, and begin feeding your heart, soul,
and mind with His Word.
Feeding on God’s Word keeps us strong and healthy. (RBC)
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