Paradox of Spiritual Starvation
D u b    M c C l i s h

Somewhere I have read that a bird can go 9 days without food, a dog 10 days, a turtle 500 days, a snake 800 days, a fish 1,000 days and some insects 12,000 days (about 33 years!). For many, the limit is about 14 days. Notice that sooner or later all of God's creatures must have food or perish. Each of us has probably been hungry enough for physical food at some time that we could think of nothing else. So it is with all of the animal world. Although a man may be basically honest, if he becomes hungry enough, he will steal his food if he cannot get it otherwise. This is one of the most urgent and compelling instincts to be found in man and beast.

One might think that the soul that is shriveling and dying from spiritual starvation would experience a similar yearning for nourishment, but here is the paradox. The soul that is most undernourished generally has the least appetite for spiritual food. The person whose soul is pygmied for lack of bread from heaven is least likely to be hungering and thirsting after righteousness. The Christian who has remained a babe in Christ over the years has the least inclination toward maintaining a hearty diet of spiritual delicacies. Those who need them the most could hardly care less whether we even continue our program of Bible classes on Sundays and Wednesdays. They imagine themselves as people who have no need of such childish pastimes when really they are most in need of them. They identify themselves with various life forms; some like the turtle, have taken little nourishment in 500 days, others are like the snake or the fish or even the insect.

How long has it been since you were in Bible class or since you studied your Bible at home?

Bring the Books!
2 Timothy 4:13

Paul was a prisoner in Rome. Winter was coming on, and he had left his cloak with Carpus at Troas. Therefore, when he wrote to Timothy to come, he made a request for him to bring the cloak, but especially his books and parchments.

What a significant request. Paul says in effect: Let the winter come! Let me shiver! Let me freeze!

I would like the cloak, but if there is a shortage of baggage space, Bring the books. My study must not be neglected!

Christians who think for one reason or another that they can afford to neglect studying the Bible are mistaken. Nothing on this earth is more important than a thorough knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures.

"Come let us reason together..."

It is one of the strange paradoxes of human experience that he who gives himself away most completely - has more of himself to give, and as a by-product, discovers a real reason for living.