Food is an essential part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, the importance we place on
eating has a tendency to go to excess.
(Note: we’ll save the obvious need for this discussion for another
time.) My point is that I have no
problem planning, preparing, anticipating, and craving my next meal. The norm when I am hungry is that I want to
eat… NOW!
An odd sensation occurs once my stomach is full. Interestingly, I want nothing to do with
food. When I am full, I am
satisfied. When I am satisfied, I am
only concerned about other matters. Food
isn’t on my mind until I am hungry again.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples, “Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
(Matthew 5:6)
Jesus taught that our life will be blessed if we seek God’s
righteousness in the same way as if we were hungry for food. Those that do this will be filled and
satisfied. Isaiah describes it this way,
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not
satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat
what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2)
Hungering for righteousness means we have a strong desire
for the holiness God has to offer. When
hungry, our souls will have an urgent need to be filled with God’s majesty and
love. Our hearts will long for the peace
and contentment that can only come from heaven above.
Don’t be deceived: It
is difficult to consistently seek God’s righteousness because of the ebb and
flow of our human desires. We can be
easily distracted, depending upon the urgency of a situation. Hungering for righteousness is a matter of
priorities. When we say we love God and
choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, hungering for righteousness is a
matter of first importance. We should
desire to be filled with his Spirit and become like him in our spirit.
As Paul prayed for the Philippian church, I pray for you, “(Be)
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the
glory and praise of God.” (Philippians
1:11) Are you hungry, now?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, please accept our appreciation for the
righteousness you offer through your son.
Help us to have a strong desire to be filled with righteousness, in the
same way we have a strong desire for food when we are hungry. Praise and glory to your name. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Carl Smith,
Stephenville, Texas
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