Johnson Ferry Sermons

David reduces his desires down to one essential pursuit: God Himself.  Many desires compete for your attention, but only one desire satisfies, dwelling with God and seeing His beauty. Spiritual hunger grows when we simplify our pursuit.

Moses’ prayer is bold: “God, show me Yourself.” Hunger for God often begins as simple, desperate desire to see Him more clearly. God does not deny this request. He delights in revealing Himself to seekers. When you hunger for God’s glory, you’re hungering for His presence, His beauty, His character, and His power.

As we continue through Ecclesiastes, Pastor Clay challenges our assumptions about knowledge and wisdom, reminding us that while they have value, they are not enough to bring lasting satisfaction.

God speaks daily through His Word, His Spirit, circumstances, and conviction. The danger is not that we cannot hear Him, but that we tune Him out. Hunger grows when we respond quickly and humbly to His voice. Hardness happens slowly, quietly, and subtly. Staying tender is an intentional daily choice.

Hunger for God requires a soft, responsive heart. A heart of stone is unmoved, unaffected, resistant. But God promises to give you a heart that feels, responds, and desires Him. You cannot create hunger in your own strength; God gives you the heart that can hunger. This is His gift, not your effort.

David describes an intense longing. Yet he knows true satisfaction comes from God not comfort, accomplishment, or people. Hunger becomes holy when it turns toward the only One who satisfies. God wants to fill the deep places of your soul with Himself, not with temporary substitutes.

God invites you to “taste,” meaning to personally experience His goodness. Hunger grows as we encounter God, not just learn about Him. His goodness is not theoretical. It is experienced in His presence, His Word, His faithfulness, and His care. The more you taste His goodness, the more you want Him.

In the Psalms, King David compares his longing for God to the desperate thirst of a deer searching for water. This is not casual desire. It is survival-level need. Your soul was made for God, and nothing else quenches its thirst. When life feels dry, empty, or weary, it is often a signal that your soul needs the living God. Hunger is not a problem; hunger is an invitation.

To hunger for righteousness is to desire God’s character, God’s ways, and God’s will above your own. This kind of hunger brings blessing and satisfaction because it aligns your desires with heaven. God not only approves of this hunger but also He promises to fulfill it. Spiritual longing is not a sign of lack but a sign of life. Hunger is evidence that God is already working in you.

Prayer Prompts 

• Ask God for deeper hunger for His righteousness
• Pray to desire what He desires

Every movement toward God, no matter how small, results in His movement toward you. Drawing near includes quieting your thoughts, turning your attention to the things of God, and opening your heart. God’s nearness is not earned; it is responded to. His promise is relational: as we come, He comes. In fact, He is already there waiting!