APPETITE FOR THE WORD

“How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” – Psalm 119:103

A proper APPETITE for GOD’s WORD is the basis for meditating in and feasting on His Word. We are known by our tastes and also what we find distasteful (vv.103-104). There is nothing wrong in having a spiritual sweet tooth as long as it loves the real thing, rather than the candy pleasures of sin that leaves cavities. Scripture is more satisfying than honey, a good taste in the mouth; but sin leaves a sour taste (v.104). You must avoid fluffy empty spiritual junk-food so you won’t spoil your appetite for what you truly need. Parents don’t tell children those things to be kill-joys, but to give true joy. When in this sour and ugly world our heavenly Father calls us to find satisfaction in Scripture, it will soothe the bitter experiences of life with His sweetness, the ugly things with His beauty, and the sad times with “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1Pet.1:8).

Today’s meditation text reveals four evidences of loving God’s Word. These relate to the heart, mind, feet, and mouth.

A heart that meditates in or dwells on His Word: “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (v.97).

A mind that follows His Wisdom: “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine” (v.98).

The feet that walk in His Word: “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word” (v.101).

A mouth that has a taste for the Word: “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”  (v.103).

Our text moves from affections to attitudes to actions.  Also, it began with “love” (v.97) and ends with “hate” (“I hate every false way” – v.104). If we truly love the truth, we will truly hate its opposite – false ways. The more we taste and see that the Lord is good, the more we appreciate the emptiness and wretchedness of sin. The distinctive attribute of a regenerated soul is a craving for Christ; a strong spiritual longing that cannot be satisfied by anything the world has to offer, and a deep desire to know God more and more (Phil.3:10a). A strong appetite for God’s Word is perhaps the most tangible indicator of such spiritual craving.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Mt.5:6). What does your inner man greatly desire and long for? Are you indifferent to the Bible? Do you find it boring or unappealing? Nothing must merit your spiritual craving more than God’s Word. There is no reason to let your hunger for spiritual nourishment go unsatisfied. All that you need is abundantly available in Jesus, but His blessings are encapsulated in His Word! You need not search anywhere else when Jesus said that you should seek Him first and He’ll fill your thirst (Mt.6:33). Only Christ the Bread of Life can satisfy your spiritual hunger (Jh. 6:35).

The appetite for God’s Word begins in the heart! That’s the place where we can hide – store up or treasure – His Word. There is a gladness that is only found by learning and loving Scripture. But love for the Word is the kindling of the fire of meditation (v.97). The entire book of Psalms begins with the idea of the connection between meditating and delighting in the Word: “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psa.1:2). You can’t help but to mull over and reflect on things you love. You hum the songs you love. It’s the same with spiritual diet. Remember this: You are what you eat – physically and spiritually! Your appetite can get the best of you and what you hunger for will change you! What your spirit hungers for will change you and shape you into its image and likeness! The reality of satisfaction is not in the denial of your cravings, but in redirecting them from small ephemeral things – food, drink, clothing, power, pleasure, prestige and possessions – to the One Great Thing: Righteousness!