Steak and Jesus

     Last night, I went on a special outing with my Bible study. We have a tradition of going to Outback Steakhouse for our last meeting of the year, and we have a good reason for it. Our youth pastor, Ralph, who is also the leader of the study, came up with the tradition, and he always reminds us of some deep spiritual truths through it.
     You might be wondering what deep spiritual truths you can learn at a restaurant, but I'm obviously about to tell you. About an hour before we meet, Ralph stops by McDonald's and picks up a hamburger for each person. In the car on the way to Outback, he sets the bag somewhere where everyone can see and smell the food. Knowing that we're going to have a good steak dinner, we're all pretty hungry and those burgers are rather tempting to our stomachs. When we finally get to the restaurant, are seated, and have ordered, Ralph hands the burgers out -- but who wants a McDonald's burger when we've got steaks, mashed potatoes, and bread coming?
     Still waiting for the deep spiritual truth? Here it is: Ralph compares the steaks and the hamburgers to partaking of Christ and partaking of the world. The steaks, like Christ, will fulfill us and satisfy us. The burgers, like the world, smell pretty good when we're hungry; but they're not going to satisfy. The steaks will fill us up, but the burgers will only leave us wanting more. The steaks are worth the price, but the burgers aren't even close!
     The parallels are many, but perhaps you'll make some parallels yourself when I tell you the other events of the night. When Ralph handed out the burgers, I, being cunning and really hungry, ate mine. I ate the burger and the steak! Of course, that's fine when we're talking food -- but there are some interesting theological implications when we do the same with life. Having eaten the burger, I had a harder time being filled up on steak. I barely managed to eat my entire dinner because I'd already eaten the cheap stuff. Likewise, someone who has partaken of the world will face a greater challenge partaking of Christ, and depending on Christ alone for sustenance.
     Carlos, sitting next to me, made a different decision. He took one look at the burger, one look at the steak, and tossed the burger back to Ralph. "Get that outa here, I want some steak!" Carlos saw the steak, and he saw the burger, and he made the obvious choice -- wanted the steak! It's just like if someone saw Christ, and saw His glory, and then looked at the world in its depravity; what would that person choose? Wouldn't you choose Christ if you could always see things that way?
     Fast-forward a couple of hours, though. I'm sitting at home, and somehow I'm hungry again. Imagine that -- a couple of hours before, I was stuffed, but now I want something else to eat. Why is it that, having eaten the good stuff, my hunger returns and makes the cheap stuff look desirable again? Doesn't the same thing happen to you? When you indulge yourself in Christ, you're satisfied. It seems at that time as if you'll never need anything ever again. Then, after an incredibly short time, the world floods back in on you and you feel lost and unfulfilled again.
     In John chapter 4, Jesus tells a Samaritan woman about a kind of water He offers. He compares the water of a physical well to the water of the Spirit: the water from the physical well will give temporary satisfaction, but will leave the drinker thirsty later; but the water of the Spirit will satisfy eternally, and will be like an eternal spring welling up inside of the one who drinks!
     So why do we still thirst and hunger, if we have the eternal Spirit who Jesus promised would satisfy us? How can Jesus say such things, but yet I feel differently? I know that I have the Holy Spirit in me, but I also know that I still thirst and desire to drink the unsatisfying water.
     I think this struggle exists in the war between the flesh and the spirit. The spirit's thirst is quenched by the Holy Spirit, but the flesh is never satisfied. This is a sign that Christ's work has begun, but it is not yet finished. It is just as we are promised a kingdom, and in a sense we have that kingdom in the church; but we still wait for the final kingdom that Christ will instate when He returns.
     I think 1 Corinthians 13:12 says it well: "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully." For now, we are still struggling; but the day is coming when our struggles will end, and we will never again know what it is to thirst!
      So do you want the cheap burger, or the juicy, tender, satisfying steak? Do you want the temporary pleasures of the world, or do you want the eternal spring of living water that you can receive through faith in Christ?