"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)What do you hunger and thirst for?
* For a certain someone to love you?
* To have a particular house, or job?
* To have a baby?
* To have more money, or possessions?
* To have beauty, or influence, or success?
Do you and I want righteousnes as much as we hunger for those kind of things? Do we want goodness, or virtue, as much as a starving person wants food, or as much as a parched person wants water?
This is a longing to be holy, longing to overcome temptation, to have the fruit of the Spirit, to love God passionately, to have all that God has for you, to be conformed exactly to Christ.
The way Jesus phrased this blessing, He didn’t mean “I am hungry for some goodness” or for “some” righteousness. He meant all of goodness, complete righteousness.
Often that is exactly where you and I fail. We’re content with mostly good, mostly righteous.
“I do my best!”
"I’m better than a lot of people!”
“That’s just my personality type!”
“Well, I may have my faults, but I’m generous and kind!”
Partial goodness.
Partial righteousness.
When you’re hungry, the only way to be satisfied is to eat. And when you hunger and thirst after righteousness, then you will only be satisfied with God’s word.
You might be experiencing this very thing right now --> you want even more than what your daily study is giving you. That’s the Holy Spirit within you. When you receive Christ’s Spirit, then you are filled with all that can satisfy your spiritual hunger.
“Oh how serene and joyful, how filled with God’s goodness is the person who longs for total righteousness like a starving person longs for food and a person dying of thirst longs for water, because that person will be truly satisfied”
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Great post! I've been hungering for those top five things for far too long(as they have been robbing me of giving thanks to God for what He has given me, even salvation and life everlasting through Christ Jesus) I was thinking about this very thing this morning. I desire more of that longing for righteousness yet because of selfishness I often neglect it. This was a very encouraging post!! May God bless you as you encourage others with the truth! :)
ReplyDelete"Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart."
praises, friend, that you and I were meditating in the Spirit on these things together. May God grant the deepest desires of your heart as you rest your heart in Him.
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