Cravings

I read a Psalm this morning that I found so interesting after our conversation last night about finances. Psalm 78, verses 17-31 in particular, though the whole Psalm is really powerful. The phrase “by demanding the food they craved” (NIV v. 18) struck me - how often are we not satisfied with what the Lord has provided, and demand more? The word “crave” is desire, longing, lust, or delight – can be both for good or evil. I wonder how often our spending is motivated from a craving for more – or from a dissatisfaction with what God has already provided. I was reminded also of the “prosperity gospel” and thought what a dangerous thing it is to be craving after the things of this world – to be lusting after temporal pleasures – to be pursuing the things of the flesh. Is it not our duty to be walking in simple thankfulness for His abundant provision, no matter what it looks like or in what form it comes? Is it not a grievous sin to grumble about what we have, and wish for more? It is a contradiction to say we trust in Him and have faith that He will provide for our every need, and yet continually be seeking more of things – of stuff to fill an almost indiscernable void deep within. In the Psalm, the Lord gave them what they longed for and complained for, but “even while it was still in their mouths,” they were slain. The original story in Numbers 11 says they named the place where this happened Kibroth Hattaavah, which means “graves of craving.” “because there they buried the people who had craved other food.” It is also interesting that the same Hebrew word is used in Genesis 3:6, when Eve saw the fruit as an object of desire. She desired something that God had not provided for her, and the result was death. This is rather lengthy, but I love this piece from the Matthew Henry Commentary: they provoked God “By desiring, or rather demanding, that which he had not thought fit to give them…God had given them meat for their hunger, in the manna, wholesome pleasant food and in abundance; he had given them meat for their faith out of the heads of leviathan which he broke in pieces, Ps. 74:14. But all this would not serve; they must have meat for their lust, dainties and varieties to gratify a luxurious appetite. Nothing is more provoking to God than our quarrelling with our allotment and indulging the desires of the flesh.” I so long to be fully satisfied in God alone – to be like a child in utter trust and simplicity of heart, desiring no thing other than what He has provided. Isaiah 26:6: “Your name and renown are the desire (yes, the same word as “crave”) of our hearts.