Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
Is this timely? Yes. The beatitudes are statements of truth and encouragement that proclaim spiritual wisdom for our lives. Following them is the direction to please God.
Here is a paradox. Hunger and thirst make you eat and get full, only to eventually get hungry and thirsty again. The wisdom of our Master is astonishing. His teachings were none less than from God himself—he was God in the flesh. His lesson on the beatitudes tell us about ourselves.
Jesus knew what he was doing when he created everything. It is done in an integrated way. As the universe works, so does the solar system. As the solar system works, so does the earth. As the earth works, so do we. Our atoms are made of protons, electrons, and neurons and work correctly following suit of the universe, solar system, and the earth. The universe has different dimensions. We do too.
Our body gets hungry and thirsty. We get hungry; we eat. We get thirsty; we drink. We’re filled, but in the process of time we get hungry and thirsty again. The body needs continual nourishment to survive. We wouldn’t be alive today if we didn’t eat and drink. By eating and drinking our body is satisfied.
Our soul gets hungry and thirsty just like our body does. Jesus said “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” The soul comes to life when it partakes of the bread from heaven. We were dead in sin but have been made alive through Jesus. We received righteousness through the cross of Calvary. When speaking of spiritual thirst, Jesus said “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” The thirst for things apart from God is never quenched. Aren’t you thankful to be brought to life by the nourishment of the bread and water from God!
Continually listen to the voice of your soul. Don’t feast from the junk food of the world—sin, the buffets of religions; they won’t feed your soul. There is one Way, one Food, and one Drink, and it’s in our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t continue to live spiritually when you try to be satisfied with anything other than the righteousness of God. It would be like our physical body trying to survive on junk food. We can’t. It catches up with us. With the soul there is no room for one taste of the devil’s deceptive food. The body is mortal. The soul is eternal. It will not process sin. Compromise, sin, and indifference will only make you more hungry. You can only be satisfied by the righteousness of God. You can try to satisfy the soul with the wrong things. There is pleasure in them for a season. When they are gone, you are hungrier and thirstier than ever. Get down to business with the Lord. You can’t chase after anything and expect your soul to be satisfied. Jesus is not a side dish on your spiritual menu. There is one appetizer, one side dish, one main dish, and one dessert. From beginning to end, the meal is Jesus.
When we’re filled with the righteousness of God, it helps us make decisions. It eases our fear and doubt. The mind clears up. We know how to deal with things. Why are we to hunger and thirst after righteousness? So we can be filled.
It’s a live anyway you want, “anything goes” world. Do this and you’ll fit in. Seek after God, and you’ll be talked about. No one is happy with a lifestyle apart from the Lord, not really happy. They may act like it, but they are empty. The hunger and thirst is still there and can only be quenched by Jesus. It’s about being fulfilled—filled full.
Are you happy with your life? With yourself? With your soul? You’ll only be fully content and filled when you hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Are you starving? This is not a spiritual generation, but there is plenty to go around. There is as much of God now as there has always been. We just don’t want to eat and drink what’s good. When is the last time you really hungered and thirsted for the Lord? The dinner bell is still ringing. The restaurant of Jesus is still open. Come and be filled.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 