Fried Green Tomatoes

“Guess what I had for supper?” My friend asked me in a text. “Fried green tomatoes . . . Aren’t you jealous?” I looked at my phone in amazement. Fried green tomatoes? Nope. I wasn’t jealous a bit. I had absolutely no appetite for fried greet tomatoes. Now, my husband . . . That was a different story! He DID have an appetite for them . . . So I texted my friend back, letting her know that she could have all the green tomatoes she wanted, and it wouldn’t matter to me . . . It was my husband’s mouth that would water! :)

If she would have said she was having corn on the cob and watermelon . . . Oooooo . . . My mouth WOULD water! The different foods of summer . . . the fresh fruits and veggies . . . How we enjoy them!

What is it that keeps us physically going out to the garden to pick fresh veggies, or picking certain things when we grocery shop — or in some cases, pulling through the drive-thru yet, again? We know it as our appetite . . . For what are we hungry?

Jesus talks to us about our spiritual appetite in Matthew 5:6. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,” He tells us, “for they shall be filled.” An appetite for things that are righteous will grant us His blessing — and He will fill us — with Himself. He is our righteousness!

One sure way we can tell if our physical bodies lack health is if they lack appetite. It’s the same way with our soul. A hunger after God and His word. A thirst — or a longing for His Spirit and His Presence daily in our lives. These things tells us our souls are healthy and on track. When we feel ourselves gravitating toward other things to try and “take the edge” off our spiritual hunger —instead of His Word — or we seek to quench our thirst with something or someone else — allowing Him to slip out of first place in our lives, we soon find ourselves dissatisfied.

An appetite for God is cultivated by being with Him. Spending time in His Word and communing with Him creates in us a love for Him that produces an appetite to keep coming back for more! Fall in love with Jesus — all over again! Keep the first love STRONG!

Just as we enjoy the fresh foods of summer, we can feast on fresh, new discoveries in our relationships with Christ. Let’s ask Him to help us keep our appetites healthy — for righteousness!

By Janene A. Dubbeld/FGG

Take it with You

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You,

O God.” Psalm 42:1 (NKJV)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

 Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)