Years ago, on a mission trip to South Africa, I led a worship service at a Christian school.

One of the songs we sang was “Hungry.” The chorus goes “We are hungry for more of You” (Jesus). At first, the students thought this an odd expression. But when I explained that we, as believers, could have an almost physical hunger for His presence in our hearts, they responded by singing with a grasp of the word that astonished and humbled me. They understood hunger and had great respect for it. Their hunger stirred my hunger that night and the presence of God was sweet as we worshiped for hours.

I have often prayed for an increased hunger without fully grasping what I was asking for. Hunger is directly associated with discomfort and even need. It’s only hunger if you have waited to eat. I believe it’s our understanding of our need that makes room for God to come and fill us. God loves our hunger and he loves filling us up. It’s our hunger that allows God to expand the parameters of our hearts that we might know Him more.

Lately, I have been hungry for more of Him. God has hidden himself, and this “hiddeness” has stirred me to greater hunger. I believe one of the reasons God has hidden Himself from me is to increase my hunger. I also believe that anything hidden can be found—that God always responds to sincere hunger. Matt 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they shall be filled.”

I am blessed if I hunger and thirst because there is a promise of being filled, there is the promise that I will find.

I wrote this song last month, the first phrase runs through my head on a daily basis.

It doesn’t have a title yet.

Place You’re hand upon my head
Place You’re hand on my head
I want to feel You, like You’re in the room

Fill Your lungs and breath on me
Fill Your lungs and breath on me
I want to feel you, like You’re in the room, like You’re next to me

Cause there’s a violent hunger in my bones
Cause I’ve seen You in this very room
Cause You’re the lion at my door
And I’ve determined to let You in
Cause there’s a floodgate that just let go
And its tearing all this shit down
Cause the fire burns and I want more
Cause I’ve seen You in this very room

If the Kingdom is for violent men, I bare my teeth and grin
And in my porcelain skin, I’m furious to contend
If the Kingdom is for little children, I lay my head upon Your chest
As the favored son of the King, I’ll shine glorious at rest

Place Your hand upon my head
Place Your hand upon my head
I want to feel You, like You’re in the room

Jason Clark is a writer, speaker and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

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