Better than Chocolate!

Boy, the mountains have been so beautiful! There is just something about being up here that reminds me anew of the majesty and wonder of God's creation. As I sat on the porch today having a quiet time, the birds sang a chorus that you would not believe! I've never heard such a racket (a lovely one, of course), and it seemed the birds were all trying to outdo one another singing and glorifying their Creator. It has been so terrific to have absolutely no schedule, no long to-do list, no places to go or things to pick up or people to see. Just enjoy one another and the beauty of God's creation... and of course, eat some great meals. Everything seems to taste better up in the mountains!

This reminded me of something I heard the other day. A woman said that she had asked God to give her a deep desire to study His Word. She said she loved chocolate (truly a woman after my own heart) and ate some every single day (and an incredibly wise one to boot). She asked God to help her to hunger after and desire to feast on His Word more than chocolate. I love that! God gave us our desires, our passions, our hopes and dreams, and He clearly, unequivocally gave us chocolate--that supreme food, that elixir of the gods... okay, maybe I'm overdoing it a bit, but He really really did a mighty fine job when He made cocoa and chocolate!

This woman's words reminded me that I am to love absolutely nothing on this earth more than my Lord and His eternal, life-giving Word. Now in all likelihood, none of us would knowingly value food or clothes or cars or success or popularity or comfort or any other thing this world offers more than the Sovereign Lord of the universe. When given the clear choice, we would surely seek the eternal, abundant life He offers over all those substitutes that give only temporary happiness but never eternal satisfaction and joy.

But so often we rush through our days and unknowingly choose to place things and stuff and worldly priorities over Him. We jump up from bed and get going with our busy day and fail to speak to and meet Him first and seek His plans for our day and His guidance and strength He longs to give us. We spend money without asking Him first if this is how He would have us use our time and treasure. We fail to express gratitude for all the daily blessings He showers upon us--from our health to our families to our food to our minds to our homes to our friends and on and on. Have you thanked Him today that you woke up this morning? Have you thanked Him for the ability to breath and to see and to hear and to walk? We grow discontented and focus on the little that we lack rather than the abundance that we possess. We exhibit irritation with those He has given us to love and focus on their weaknesses and shortcomings rather than on loving them unconditionally with the love only He can give. We seek immediate gratification and happiness rather than eternal grace and holiness.

We love our chocolate more than His Word.

So, Lord, I'm asking that You help us to love You and Your Word more than chocolate! I know how fallible, how weak, how prone to wander and waiver, how selfish and superficial we (or at least I) can be, so we know we cannot do it. But You can. Would You give us a love for You and Your Word that trumps all else this sin-sick world can offer? Give us a desire to come to Your banquet table every single day and feast upon Your glorious, life-giving, joy-producing Word. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Ps.34:8)

"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul... the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes... the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb." (Ps.19:7-10)

I might add, "more to be desired than the finest of dark chocolate; sweeter than the most scrumptious of chocolate cake!" His Word, for you, might be better and finer and greater than the most beautiful of homes, the most well-behaved of children, the most fabulous of trips, the most perfect of marriages, the most lovely of faces or figures, the most productive and accomplished of days.

Nothing this world can offer can compare to our Lord and to feasting at His table with Him in His Word. For those of us who love to eat (that would be me!), nothing can compare. And no one, no place, no success, no pleasure, nothing can ever satisfy and bring eternal joy like our Creator and His Word. So, will you join me in asking that God would give you a hunger and deep desire for Him and His Word more than anything else in this world? I'll see you at the banquet table! To Him be the glory.