What an amazing sight enjoyed not only by Moses and Aaron but also Nadab, Abihu and the seventy elders. These men saw God. They saw a glimpse into the glory of heaven. They saw God standing upon a clear sapphire foundation. They saw Him with their own eyes–and did not die! What a privilege, what a sight. To see God Himself, to see Him in His glory is the ultimate desire of the human soul and the best result of our entire existence–to see Him (and not be struck down dead) is the successful end of our purpose for living. These men saw it–and then they ate and drank.

The mention of eating and drinking is curious. Such a wonder as seeing God in His glory and the next thing mentioned is that they ate and drank. It seems such a contrast. The height of spiritual attainment followed directly by something as common as eating and drinking. It makes me wonder how common eating and drinking really are. After all, the Bible speaks of eating and drinking frequently as metaphor for spiritual hunger and spiritual satisfaction. Ecclesiastes speaks frequently about enjoying eating and drinking as a fundamental purpose of our days under the sun. The prophets speak often of eating and drinking as both warnings, when they are pursued excessively and sought as pleasures in and of themselves, and as rewards for truly seeking God. Jesus exhorts us to pursue that which is true food–that is–Himself. He is the everlasting and true food. God promises feasting in His kingdom as a part of His heavenly rewards. One of the primary ordinances of the new covenant involves the eating and drinking of the bread and wine as expressions of Christ’s sacrifice. And the apostle Paul addresses many spiritual matters using examples and applications that deal with issues of food and drink. In all these ways the Bible frequently connects God, Jesus, heaven, faith, and glory with food and drink.

This probably means that food and drink have a much greater meaning and purpose than I know when I receive them each day. So, will I think of Christ above when I eat some chips? Will I ask for living water for my soul when I enjoy a diet Stewart’s orange ‘n cream soda? Will I hear the echo of Isaiah 55:12 when I sit down to dinner?

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.” Isaiah 55:1-2

When I eat honey – or more often chocolate, will I remember the reason why some things taste sweet?

“My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 24:13-14

When I look forward to a special meal–or enjoy a carefully prepared dish–will I recall the feast that Jesus longed for?

“And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’” Luke 22:15-16

No, I think eating and drinking are not so common after all. While eating and drinking and hunger and thirst are basic components of daily life, they are not insignificant. In fact they may be among the most significant daily events of our lives. God speaks every single day about hunger, thirst, appetite, desire, dependence, provision, satisfaction, and pleasure by making us need and want food and drink. Anybody, anywhere, anytime can produce in themselves a great and fervent hunger by simply abstaining from food and drink for a short time. And this easily created gut twisting hunger is just as easily satisfied by taking some food. And we do this every single day.

God speaks daily through our hunger and our thirst. God designed these basic and frequent occasions for us to be reminded of our need for the true food and true drink. The cyclical nature of hunger and thirst, eating and drinking should turn our attention to the source from which all things to derive their existence–the God of glory standing upon a clear sapphire foundation burning brightly in eternal glory. He is standing in heaven every moment of every day–during every meal, while I chew every bite of food and sip every cup of drink.

Lord, increase my awareness of your presence and your purposes for eating and drinking. Draw my mind and my heart upward whenever I eat, whenever I drink, and whenever I enjoy your good gifts. And Lord, from time to time remind me to take up fasting to remind myself how powerful a means of grace eating and drinking, hunger and thirst really are. And most of all open my eyes to the glory of Christ seated at your right hand on a clear platform of sapphire – and thank you and I may see you and not die because of the blood and the cross. Amen.

It is a well-observed spiritual truth that suffering is among the chief means for deepening communion with God. The fellowship of sharing in Jesus’ sufferings brings joy. Faith grows up in the broken soil of our pains. Hope, refined by trials, increases our longing for heaven. When I’m under the shadow of suffering, God’s promises renew my strength. Such times cause me to anticipate the weight of glory promised for my eternal future.

The fullness of God’s grace and mercy will only be granted in eternity. Yet His comforts are often bestowed, in smaller measure, here on earth. The Lord is tender and kind. He gives and takes away. He brings affliction but never too much, and restores the soul like with Job after his testing.

I will add my minor testimony to the chorus of many saints, to God’s faithfulness through trial. I have suffered a little and I have been graciously restored. I agree with all the others that suffering is indeed good in that it draws my soul closer to God. God’s glory has been revealed to me more clearly through suffering than it has in times of comfort.

Here is a dilemma. If the greatest pleasure God can give me is the gracious gift of Himself, if He is the most desirable object of my affection, and He gives Himself to me most fully in times of suffering, how am I to measure God’s many gifts of comfort? If communion with God is my greatest earthly experience and the greatest of these experiences come through suffering, what do I make of my comforts? There is such tension here, because while suffering I eagerly long for comfort. And when comfort and relief arrive I indeed rejoice. But if, as a result of such rest, my communion with God diminishes – even slightly – how do I appropriately delight in God’s comfort – as surely I ought to – if in comfort my fellowship with God is calmer?

Paul writes in Philippians 4:12 “… I also know how to live in the prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” I believe his special insight was not just related to living in suffering, but had as much to do with how to live in prosperity. I know that I need grace and mercy to survive times of suffering. But I also know that I desperately need grace and mercy to survive prosperity and comfort.

I have not counted, but I bet there are more warnings in the Word to those who have riches and comfort than there are to those who are in need. Being needy can be a wonderful advantage for building strong faith and rich communion with God. Comfort can be a deadly, soul-lulling disease, resulting in total loss. Neither state is inherently so. Neediness can cause people to covet and steal. Riches can enable generosity for the relief to many, to the glory of God. But I would guess that with regard to communion with God, the path of suffering is smoother than the road of riches.

Whatever the road, God’s grace can keep my fellowship with him full. However, learning the secrets of prosperity may be harder than learning the secrets of suffering. That’s because suffering, in faith, reflexively pushes my soul toward God. In the same way that I instinctively draw my hand away from a hot flame, my soul, in faith, draws to God in the heat of adversity. But when there is neither extreme heat nor extreme cold, but perfect warmth my soul relaxes and rests in its comfort. It is at these times I am most likely to drift, to wander, to meander. Drawing close to God is not as reflexive without suffering. But it is not impossible. I need to learn the secrets of communion with God in times of comfort and prosperity.

I have not learned this secret yet. I have only recently received mercy and restored comfort from the Lord after a season of affliction. I’m still getting used to my new comfortable clothes. But I think one secret for preserving communion with God can be found in James 5:13 – that is, singing. If I have received cheerful comfort from the Lord I am deeply obliged to sing praises. The more comfort – the more singing. Many psalms beautifully weave cries of longing for God during distress with songs of delight for the oil of gladness. One lesson in the school of godly comfort is singing. I need to sing to the measure of my blessing. If I am not singing, inside and out, I should beware of my comforts. If I sing praises, I will honor my God – the God of all comfort.

Lord cause my heart to sing, my mouth to declare your praises. Oh, that I might honor you and preserve my faith in times of blessing as well as in times of need. Amen.