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Cravings for the good…or bad?

What do you crave for? What drives your appetite? When your work day is done and your tired, maybe lonely, what drives you? The TV set?...
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Pastoral column

By Scott Janzen Pastor, Westerose Gospel Church

What do you crave for? What drives your appetite? When your work day is done and your tired, maybe lonely, what drives you? The TV set? Making money? Sinful activity? Or maybe it’s a hobby or spending time with friends or family. Hopefully in that mix there is also a craving for Gods presence in your life too.

What I’ve come to realize is that everyone of us has different kinds of cravings. Some good and some bad. The true test is developing new healthy cravings like spending time with God. Worshipping God, reading His word or serving people in the church.

I can remember years ago when I was still skinny that I desperately wanted to gain weight (now I want to lose it!). I was a scrawny 140 pounds in high school and tried everything to gain muscle and pounds. I lifted weights, ate like a horse and read every Muscle and Fitness magazine I could get my hands on. It did pay off over time but it took a lot of discipline and patience. In the process of this adventure to become Mr. Universe I started to develop new cravings. I originally ate the typical teenage diet of cookies, chips and ice cream. Over time I started to introduce new healthy food. At first it repulsed me, but after a while I actually started to “crave” the new healthy alternatives.

In the same way we too need to start eliminating the “junk food” of our lives and start replacing it with more of God. Overtime we will start craving His presence. Look at this scripture in 1 John:

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:15-17 NLT)”

The Bible is pretty clear on this subject. So what are we waiting for? Join me in eliminating those unhealthy choices and start feeding on Jesus Himself the Bread of Life! Bon appetite!

The Pipestone Flyer has invited pastors and reverends from local churches to write a regular column for the paper.