WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SATIETY- Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati - 10/28/15

Satiety is to satisfy a desire or appetite to the full with as much or more of something than is desired or can be managed -from the Latin satis - meaning 'enough.'  In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie is a boy whose family is so poor he cannot buy candy at the candy store.  The eccentric owner, Willy Wonka, announces that he has hidden 5 golden tickets in his candy bars, which are found by four spoiled and bratty children.  Charlie finds the fifth ticket and he and his grandfather go on a journey through the factory, where Wonka and his umpa lumpas put the children through various character tests. The first four children failed - they were ill mannered, greedy, complaining and never satisfied.   Charlie and his grandpa fail as well, by stealing a fuzzy lifting drink for fun, but then Charlie returns to Wonka and apologizes - passing the character test!  He is then chosen not just to win chocolate forever, but to be the heir to Willy Wonka's factory and fortune.

 
The movie reveals that even as children, we are acculturated against satiety.  When given all the candy they could eat...they wanted more.  Have you reached the point where what you have is enough? Are you ever satisfied? Do you even connect with the concept or possibility of 'fullness'? 

  God warned Israel to Remember Him when they entered their promised land - a land without scarcity or lack. "When you have eaten and are full/satisfied,  (some of you didn't know that was possible) Praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you." (Deut. 8:10) God reminded them about their long trek through the wilderness, when He rained down 'just enough' daily provision of Manna for them.  Or when in His disgust after their complaining and hounding Him for meat, He sent enough quail to choke them! (Exodus 16) Have you ever been a brat like the children in the chocolate factory or the Children of Israel? God blesses daily but it's never enough, there's always the next thing you want or 'need!'

Ironically, the LORD made it so that earthly things would never be enough.  We will never find true satiety in anything or anyone but HIM!  Jesus described Himself as The True Vine in John 15, our Source of nourishment. El Shaddai - (the Almighty, All-Sufficient God, Multi-breasted One who is more than enough), revealed Himself to Abraham in Genesis 17.  In John 6 Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life. If we consistently feed on Him we will never hunger or thirst again. He will satisfy our cravings for more.... love, peace, mercy, wisdom, forgiveness, and for His presence. In fact, David sang, "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." (Psalm 16:11) Are you experiencing the fullness that is found in Christ? Or is the test you're going through revealing that you are still looking for more in something or someone else?