From Hunger to Intimacy: The Journey of the Soul

"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." - Psalm 42:1 (KJV)

In the vast landscape of human experience, there exists a hunger deeper than any physical craving, a thirst more profound than any bodily need. It is the soul's longing for its Creator, a spiritual appetite that can only be satisfied by intimacy with the Divine. This hunger, dear reader, is not a flaw in our design, but a deliberate feature crafted by the loving hand of God.

Consider the words of the Psalmist, painting a vivid picture of a deer, parched and desperate, seeking the life-giving waters of a brook. This is no mere poetic flourish, but a raw, visceral depiction of the soul's yearning for God. It is a hunger that gnaws, a thirst that parches, driving us beyond the superficial waters of worldly satisfaction to the deep, refreshing springs of God's presence.

Yet, how often do we misunderstand this hunger? How frequently do we attempt to satiate it with lesser things? We may seek the gifts rather than the Giver, the blessings rather than the Blesser. But our God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, allows this hunger to persist, for He knows it is the very thing that will draw us into deeper intimacy with Him.

"Draw me, we will run after thee," declares the bride in the Song of Solomon (1:4, KJV). Here we see the divine interplay between God's initiative and our response. The hunger we feel is itself a gift, a holy drawing orchestrated by God. Our part is to respond, to "run after" Him with all our being.

This running, this pursuit of God, is no casual stroll. It is an all-consuming passion, a race that demands our all. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled," Jesus promises (Matthew 5:6, KJV). Notice the intensity of the language - hunger and thirst. These are not mild desires but desperate needs. And it is this very desperation that positions us for the filling God longs to provide.

But let us be clear: the journey from hunger to intimacy is not always a smooth path. It often leads us through valleys of doubt, across deserts of trial. Like the bride in the Song of Solomon, we may find ourselves crying out, "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon" (Song of Solomon 1:7, KJV). There are times when God seems distant, when our hunger feels more like a painful void than a holy longing.

It is in these moments that we must remember: the hunger itself is a sign of life, a mark of our belonging to God. For only the living can feel hunger, and only those born of the Spirit can truly long for God. Our hunger, even when it pains us, is evidence of our spiritual vitality.

"Our hunger, even when it pains us, is evidence of our spiritual vitality."

As we persist in this journey, something remarkable begins to happen. Our cries of "My beloved is mine" begin to transform into "I am my beloved's" (Song of Solomon 2:16, 6:3, KJV). We find ourselves less concerned with what we can get from God and more consumed with giving ourselves fully to Him. This is the heart of intimacy - a mutual belonging, a deep knowing and being known.

Dear reader, where do you find yourself on this journey from hunger to intimacy? Are you just beginning to recognize that deep longing in your soul? Are you in a place of desperate seeking, running hard after God? Or have you tasted the sweetness of intimate communion with Him?

Wherever you are, know this: God Himself is the author of your hunger. "Only God can create hunger," and He has placed this longing within you for a purpose. He is drawing you, wooing you, calling you into deeper relationship with Himself. Your part is to respond, to run, to seek Him with all your heart.

"Only God can create hunger, and He has placed this longing within you for a purpose."

Let not your hunger discourage you, but let it spur you on. Let it drive you to the secret place of prayer, to the nourishing ground of His Word, to the fellowship of His people. For it is often in these places that our spiritual hunger finds its satisfaction, and our longing hearts discover the intimacy they crave.

Let us pray:

Our Father in Heaven, we come before You acutely aware of our soul's deep hunger for You. We thank You, Lord, that You are the author of this hunger, that You have placed within us a longing that only You can satisfy.

Forgive us, merciful God, for the times we have sought to fill this longing with lesser things. Forgive us for pursuing Your gifts above Your presence, for settling for spiritual fast food when You offer us a feast of intimacy.

Holy Spirit, intensify our hunger for God. Let us not be content with surface-level spirituality, but create in us a desperation for deeper communion with You. Give us the strength to run hard after You, to persist in seeking Your face even when the path is difficult.

Lord Jesus, You who promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled, satisfy us with Your presence. Draw us closer to Your heart. Transform our self-centered cries of "My beloved is mine" into the intimate declaration "I am my beloved's."

May our lives be a testimony to Your satisfying love. Use our journey from hunger to intimacy to draw others to You, that they too might taste and see that You are good.

In the name of Jesus, our Bread of Life, we pray. Amen.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

Based on Wade Taylor's message "The Song of Solomon — Part 2."