August 23
Bible Reading: Acts 13:26-52
Acts 13:42, “As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.”
My dog Muki is a master of the art of begging. She expertly wields her innocent, puppy-like eyes as if they were a weapon, and she’ll even lift her paw to shake hands if it helps her cause. As we eat, Muki sits—not-so-patiently—hoping to snag a few scraps from our plates. But it’s treats that truly drive her. After any trip to town, a visit to the park, or even just a walk to the garbage can, Muki expects a reward. Her appetite for treats seems insatiable.
Humans beg too, but typically for material things like food or money. Sometimes, we might beg for attention, forgiveness, or help. But it’s rare for people to beg for things that nourish their relationship with God.
When Paul arrived in Pisidian Antioch with the good news, the people’s spirits were stirred. His words of freedom and forgiveness sparked a hunger in them, and they “begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath” (Acts 13:42).
I’m convinced that few things are as virtuous as a genuine hunger for truth. Such a hunger demands to be satisfied, and God has spread a banquet of truth for us in His Word—an all-you-can-eat buffet of wisdom. The folks in Pisidian Antioch begged to hear more about Jesus. How hungry are you even now for the truth? The door is wide open with the feast laid out before us, but too often, we lack the appetite to partake of that which alone can work to nourish our inner being.
Imagine if we were more like Muki, but instead of craving treats, we yearned for the life-changing spiritual truths that help us grow in Christ. This kind of hunger is born of the Spirit of God, and it’s something we can—and should—pray for.
A hunger for truth is a priceless possession bearing fruit in countless ways.
TEACH ME THY WAY, O LORD
Teach me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford; teach me thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
lead me with heav’nly light; teach me thy way!
When I am sad at heart, teach me thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
in failure or success, teach me thy way!
When doubts and fears arise, teach me thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me thy way!
Shine thro’ the cloud and rain, thro’ sorrow, toil, and pain;
make thou my pathway plain; teach me thy way!
Long as my life shall last, teach me thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
until the crown is won, teach me thy way!
LookingtoJesus 