these growing roots.

"Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

I opened my eyes and stood straight, pushing away from the wall that I was leaning against as if I were the seeker counting in hide-and-seek.  Jesus had spoken; that much was evident.  And those words hung in the deepest parts of me for longer than I had anticipated.

This morning, two days after this interaction between us, a thought hit me:  The things I cared so much about six months ago are not as high priority in my life anymore.

Some of those things (actually, most of those things) are, at their core, good.  And I still desire them, but they are no longer the focus for me.

I could write a list for you about what those things are, but I think that would be besides the point.  The point is that those things--the bread of this world--aren't my focus anymore.  And though good, I never want them to be the focus again.

Because those things aren't Jesus.

One by one and little by little--so slow I wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't taken the morning to reflect--they each faded into the background of my life as Jesus was illuminated more and more.

As I became more rooted in Him, as He alone became the only thing that I was running after, everything else stopped screaming for my attention.

I think, maybe, that's a piece of what the Spirit-led life is all about.  It's about being so fixed on Him that one day you finally understand that He alone satisfies, that man cannot live on bread alone because even though you eat it today, you will hunger again tomorrow.  I'm not sure I'm always there 100% of the time because I still fall into the trap that other things--even good things--can satisfy me, but I'd like to think that I'm moving and that these roots are growing and that I'm farther along on the journey than I was six months ago.

I'm not sure what the bread is for you, what the thing is that you are tempted to have more than Jesus--maybe it's friends or marriage or success or fun or wisdom or strength or gentleness.  But those things have to come second.  (Actually, some of those things are only produced from our intimacy with Jesus and thus naturally come second anyway.)

The thing is, the bread isn't bad.  It is, at it's core, good for us.  But we have to understand at a heart level that this bread will never satisfy.  That when we live our lives in pursuit of things--even good things--other than Jesus, we will always find ourselves to be insatiable.

No amount of bread and no type of bread will ever satisfy.  The things of this world will always leave you hungry again.  But Jesus does.

He lives in me and walks with me and when I spend my days aware of Him and in step with Him, the insatiable becomes satiated.

When rooted in Him, I am satisfied to the full.