“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the (woman) who trusts in Him.” Psalm 34:8

Crumbs

My friend lives with her daughter and toddler grandson. When her daughter and grandson went out of state for a week’s visit, my friend’s two little dogs began to follow her everywhere, begging for food. She was perplexed about why they seemed hungry all the time, because she was feeding them twice a day just as she always had. It finally occurred to her that her grandson had been dropping little bits of his snacks and meals to the floor where the dogs would quickly gobble them up, and she was none the wiser. They were accustomed to being fed tiny snatches all day long. Their snack supply had temporarily dried up.

This reminds me of a time in my life when I befriended another Christian woman at my job. We talked the talk of believers—discussing Scriptures, openly sharing our struggles and triumphs, working through the same Bible studies. We “fed” one another with “spiritual snacks” all day long. I came to rely on her for this constant input and encouragement.

But the day came when she left our happy little workplace to pursue a new season in her life. I cried and cried when she told me what God was leading her to do—not because it was sinful, but because she would not be around to “feed me” all day long. How could I be strong without her influence? Who would I talk to about the deep things that were important to me? Who would be there to meet my needs?

I knew, of course, that this was the place God wanted to hold in my life. I had made my friend an idol. I never knew it, and would not have admitted it if you’d pointed it out to me. But when she was taken from me, then I knew. Someone besides the Giver of Life was feeding me His Word—in crumb-sized portions. God wanted to feed me with His fullness, satisfying the real hunger in me.

When I worried that I had no one, I had God. When I wondered who would ask me the hard questions that made me ponder, the Holy Spirit gently stepped up. Whenever I have an unidentifiable hunger, the Lord bids me come to Him—to taste and see that He is good.

Father, show us our idols. Help us to see our friendships through Your eyes, that we may be spiritually healthy. May we ever look to You to provide our needs, and never be satisfied with anything less. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.