Cravings

This Sunday we will hear and reflect upon the story about David and Bathsheba... High drama and intrigue...one of the "juicy" Old Testament stories about man's battle with temptation. Today's reading from James is ramping us up for the weekend scripture lesson!

James 4:1-7

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, "God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says,
"God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble."

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

There's a restaurant in my area called Cravings It specializes, of course, in chocolate and pasteries. Folks walk in with an appetite for something forbidden by one's diet or wellness program.... and they walk out satisfied. Some even cling to the old cliche: The devil made me do it!

Although the place doesn't hit my particular craving, (my nemesis is peanuts, or anything to do with bread)the bottom line is that nearly everybody has some sort of craving. It is that place in our appetite that sparkles with anticipation when the object of our craving comes to mind.

St. Augustine wrote about spiritual craving in his Confessions...that we are created by God to hunger for God...and we are restless and dissatisfied until we surrender to our hunger and let God satisfy our soul.

We deceive ourselves when we expect that we can find our own path to wholeness. I have been told by some that our capacity to resist the devil is inadequate...but that by turning our full attention to God we are assured that the devil will certainly flee. When facing temptation turn from the temptation, pray...face God...who is always, always there.

There is wisdom and deep delight in setting aside our human craving and allowing God to satisfy the hunger that resides deep within our soul...the deep, abiding hunger for God's love.