BIG APPETITES

Nabal (whose name means "fool") had a big appetite.   1 Samuel 25 tells us that he was a surly and mean man.  When David and his men asked for food from the festival time during sheep shearing, as payment for having provided protection for Nabal's workers, Nabal responded with "why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered and give it to men coming from who knows where?"   Later in the story, we're told that he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king.  He was in high spirits and very drunk.   His appetite put his wife, family, and servants in grave danger.  In fact, David later states that his plan was to leave no man alive.  Because of Abigail's quick thinking and willingness to humble herself,  those men were saved. I think Abigail was accustomed to Nabal's greediness and surliness.  The servant knew he could come to her for help!   She already had supplies stored away for just such an occasion.  She was able to quickly gather 200 loaves, 2 skins of wine, 5 sheep already dressed, five measures of parched grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of figs - according to notes in my bible, that was exactly enough provisions for David's 600 men!  Nabal's actions were not just a one-time event, but an example of a lifestyle of greediness (a big appetite) that Abigail had learned to survive under.  Nabal paid the price for his appetite with his life.

Another man in the Bible that had a big appetite was Esau.   Isaac had prayed much to the Lord for his wife Rebekah because she couldn't have children.  God answered "yes" to his prayers and Rebekah had twins.  Esau and Jacob. The twins had struggled together in Rebekah's womb.  God told her that there were the founders of two nations in her womb! (can you imagine??)  Gen. 25:23 says, "The Lord said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb, and the separation of two peoples has begun in your body; the one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger."  Growing up hearing this story, I always thought that God had told Rebekah that the elder son (Esau) would not have the birthright.  But He didn't!  He did say that Esau would serve the younger brother (Jacob), but not that he would lose his inheritance.  Maybe Esau had been told the story of his birth while growing up and heard it the same way I did because he didn't value his birthright.   One day he was coming home after being in the field and was faint with hunger.  Jacob was cooking stew and traded Esau a bowl of stew for Esau's rights as a firstborn son.    Esau scorned his birthright as beneath his notice, his appetite was so big he traded it for a bowl of food.  He didn't try to get the food any other way.  He could have offered something else in trade for the food, cooked something for himself, or even found someone else to cook for him.  No, his appetite was big and he sacrificed big to get what he wanted.  But Esau had been taught this by example.  Issac, his father had a big appetite too.  He sacrificed relationship with his son Jacob for his appetite.  Genesis 25:28 tells us "And Isaac loved [and was partial to] Esau because he ate of Esau's game..."  Esau's story has a happier ending than Nabal's did.  I think his story shows that there is a place for redemption after you have been a devourer if you humble yourself.   Jacob was returning home years later, after having fled for his life because he had also stolen Esau's blessing, (though Esau was given a blessing, just not the one his father had intended for him).  Trying to make amends with Esau, Jacob sent gifts ahead to give him.  Esau saw Jacob coming and ran to embrace him.  Jacob's first words to Esau were "These are the children whom God has graciously given YOUR SERVANT". Several times Jacob calls Esau "my lord".  I think the gifts were a returning of the inheritance to Esau and the calling himself  "servant" and Esau "lord" were a return of the status of firstborn to Esau.  We see that Esau has prospered, fulling the blessing his father had given him, "Your blessing and dwelling shall all come from the fruitfulness of the earth and from the dew of the heavens above: By your sword, you shall live and serve your brother, But the time shall come when you will grow restless and break loose, and you shall break his yoke from off your neck."  Esau had learned to forgive and to set aside his big appetite. (He tried to refuse Jacob's gifts.)   

Let me briefly tell you about one more man we are told about in the Bible that had a big appetite:  David.  His appetite was so big, he lived in such abandon that when he came against the giant Goliath, he RAN toward the fight.  His appetite was so big that it earned him the title of "a man after God's own heart".  In Psalm 34 he gives us a glimpse of the big appetite he has - an appetite to know God intimately.  "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My life makes its boast in the Lord..."   I believe that David's life, though not perfect, shows that our big appetites are God-given!   In fact, he calls us to follow his example in Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the Lord (our God) is good!  Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him."  Our appetites have a purpose!   It's much like I shared with my Sunday School girls last week.  Where you fix your gaze determines where you go.  If our focus is on worldly affections, then our appetites devour people and things.  That is when our appetites are misused.  BUT if our focus is fixed on God and his greatness, then they are an asset!  Our appetites draw us close to God and His desires for our lives.   

During my cancer treatments, I lost my sense of taste.  When it returned, the first taste that I had was bitter.  I couldn't taste anything but the bitter pills I had to take.  Then one day my sister-in-law asked me if my sense of taste was returning, and I suddenly realized that I was at that moment tasting sweet pie!   Later, my taste of savory dishes returned.  Maybe that is a picture of our redemption, much like Esau.  We need to taste the "bitter" pill of repentance to be healed.  We need to see that we have held grudges, had unforgiving, murderous attitudes, and focused on wrong things, misusing our appetites. We must change and turn away from that.  Then comes the sweet taste of redemption, coming back into right standing, close relationship with God.  Returning just as the prodigal son did, with our Father waiting with outstretched arms.   But then, oh my!  Then comes the savory.  The deep, rich, spicy, savory taste of growing intimacy with Father.  A taste that satisfies our big appetites beyond our imagining.   

Father,  Thank you for big appetites and the advantages they can bring when they are focused on You!!  May the desires of my heart never be in opposition to Your desires!   Forgive me for all the times I've settled for lesser things to try and satisfy my appetite.  Lord, I want to want You most - to follow You with the abandon that David did as he ran into the fight! May I live with a heart of surrender to You.  Help me not to compromise by looking anywhere but at You to satisfy my appetite. In Jesus' worthy-of-worship name I pray, Amen.