My husband and I enjoy buffets. The great thing about them is trying new things. Then, if you don’t like it, you don’t feel bad about throwing it away. There is a buffet about an hour from us that we frequent. It is a large buffet and there is just about every type of food you could desire. It has beef, chicken, fish, pork and typically turkey. And every type of side and vegetable you could desire as well. Then for dessert, there is even an ice cream bar, cotton candy, and a chocolate fountain! It really is everyone’s favorite buffet. It has a little something for everyone.
But the issue with a buffet is that we almost always overindulge. We sample all the new things and we navigate toward the things we know that we desire. Then we go back for more… and more… and more. But we disregard the urging deep inside us that says “no” or “no more”. The next thing you know, we find that we have overindulged. We end up incredibly uncomfortable. Then we find that our actions have even made us nauseous and only temporarily satisfied.
Similarly, This world offers us a buffet as well. It is a buffet for the senses: sensual desires, food, money, success, etc. There is every type of “pleasure” you could desire. It too has a little something for everyone. It too is everyone’s favorite buffet. We sample all the new things. And we navigate toward the things we know that we desire. Then we go back for more… and more… and more. Here, we also disregard the urging deep inside us that says “no” or “no more”. And again, we find that we have overindulged. We end up incredibly uncomfortable. Then we find that our actions have even made us nauseous and only temporarily satisfied
“16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” 1 John 2:16-17.
The enemy prepares this buffet for us. Everyone’s Favorite Buffet. We, like a herd of cattle, meander up to the trough and consume our fill. We leave and then he replenishes the buffet. And we, like a herd of cattle, meander up to the trough and consume our fill. And the process repeats itself over and over because we are never really satiated. We are only temporarily satisfied, only to return for the next new thing on the buffet.
But we were not created for temporary satisfactions. We were created to hunger and desire the one thing that satisfies eternally. That is Jesus Christ. Only He satisfies that longing and fills the Christ-sized hole in our hearts. “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Psalm 107:9.
And that hunger and longing will be satisfied. We will be satiated once Jesus Christ has become our Lord and Savior. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6.
God warns us in His Word to avoid the tempting morsels of the enemy’s buffet. “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:13-14.
We no longer have to feed at the trough on the buffet of the enemy. Because, God gives us something far better and more satisfying. And He prepares a feast of His own for us. “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” Psalm 23:5 (NLT). This should be our favorite buffet.
We no longer have to feed at the trough on the buffet of the enemy because God gives us the ability to resist his imitation satisfactions. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Once Jesus is Lord of our lives, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. And we desire to please and honor our Heavenly Father. We desire to please Him out of gratitude for all that He has done for us. And, when we do, He will give us the desires of our heart and more (because we are seeking His will and pleasure). “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4.
Spending time with, glorifying, and serving, our Heavenly Father is the greatest joy in this life. It is what satisfies our souls. And it is what we were created for.
Because everything else is a cheap, unsatisfying imitation from the enemy. It will leave us empty, nauseous, and feeding in futility.
But Jesus satisfies eternally. “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 13:14.
Father God, forgive us for feeding from the trough of the enemy’s buffet. Forgive us for desiring anything but You. Because You are the desire of our hearts, Father.
Jesus, we praise and thank You for allowing us to feed on the Bread of Life. And we praise and thank You for allowing us to drink from the fountain of Living Water. Thank you, Jesus, that we will have all of eternity to praise You for all that You are and all that You have done for us.
Oh, Holy Spirit, help us resist the temptation of returning to the trough of the enemy. And help us to glorify our Heavenly Father to all those you direct us to. We praise and thank you for your leading. Because, through You, we have the ability to resist the enemy’s buffet of imitation satisfaction and sin. We pray this in Your precious and Holy name, Jesus.
Has your life consisted of one temporary satisfaction after another? Have you been spending time at everyone’s favorite buffet? Have you been feeding at the trough of the enemy? If you said “yes” to these questions then please go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/). You will find a prayer outlined on this page. This prayer is the entrance to the buffet of Jesus. This is where you will find His Living Water and the Bread of Life. It is where you will find true satisfaction. It is what you were created for. Please pray this prayer. God longs to have a loving and intimate personal relationship with you. He wants to forgive all your sins and spend eternity with you. Please pray and, once you have, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com. I’d love to be in prayer with and for you.
Luv Ya!
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