People are hungry for God, which is to say they are hungry for love. This hunger, when misunderstood, drives the incessant plea for attention and approval, fuels the rebellious demands of the ego, and often drives us to binge on spiritual and emotional junk food. You notice it in conversations when we one-up one another, vying for the rhetorical trophy – best team, worst illness, most dramatic crisis, luckiest career break, biggest bank account – all illusion when it comes to what really drives us all. The real story behind the collective gab is often, “I hope you love me, and I hope I belong.”
The word “belong” seems a little trendy these days, but I suppose it should not be underestimated. It’s okay to want to belong. Some social circles and cliques may exclude you, but God never does. Neither do people who know God.
Know God. Know yourself. It’s a beautiful journey of discovery and this journey is not for the faint of heart, or the lazy-minded. To have a mind that is not lazy does not mean you think all the time. The mind, as Paul expresses it, is consciousness of God and your relationship with God. He calls it the mind of Christ, (and I don’t think he was referring to Jesus’ opinion on the politics of His day). When you discover this, you do less over- thinking and more love- and-understanding-thinking.
Speaking of thinking, I was inspired to write this from our TPK this week. Our key verse was from Galatians 2:20 and states, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Spending time in contemplation with that phrase reminded me of a song I wrote with my friend Shana Morrison. She brought this beautiful idea to our session.
Here’s the lyric and link. (Hope it opens for you. If not, Google “MORE THAN I NEED, by Shana Morrison).
This song, for me, is a prayerful answer to our hungry cries.
MORE THAN I NEED
By Kim McLean and Shana Morrison
I saw an angry man who had the world to blame
I saw a poor man with nothing to his name
I saw a thirsty man desperate for some rain
And I saw myself, and I felt ashamed
Once I let somebody take my pride from me
I thought I’d been a fool to feel affinity
For someone who would come along and make my life a mess
But I know I’ve done it too, and it’s time that I confess
There are things that I have done when I haven’t done my best
IF EVERYTHING I SUFFER IS A
PATHWAY TO MY PEACE
AND A HEART OF GREAT COMPASSION IS THE GIFT THAT I RECEIVE
I’LL KEEP WAITING, HOPING FOR THE DAY THAT I AM FREE
AND MY JOY OUTSHINES MY SORROW
AND I LOVE MORE THAN I NEED
When I am rich and I forget to count the cost
May I remember how it felt when all was lost
I have found no matter how the coin is tossed
I will find my way, and bridges will be crossed
CHORUS
TAG: I’M GONNA PAY ATTENTION
EVERY DAY I SEE
PEOPLE WHO NEED LOVE
MAY I LOVE MORE THAN I NEED