The Beatitudes Part 4

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."
                                                                                                                Matthew 5:6.  NKJV

The term here, hunger and thirst, is the same feeling as starving for natural food and drink but with a spiritual tense. There is an ongoing passion which is never satisfied. It is extremely intense. It is a hunger and thirst for God and all He stands for and it is never quenched; and it won't be until we see Him face to face.

Many Christians seek, hunger and thirst for the things of this world - power, authority, success, comfort and happiness but the hunger and thirst here in this verse is for righteousness.

King David had a dream within his heart to build a temple for God. However, it was denied him and his son Solomon, was the one who built it. David could have thrown a wobbly and been totally angry and upset about all of this. But David was a warrior; a man of God and he accepted this. Solomon was God's choice to build the temple but God said to David, 

'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.' 
                                                                                                   1 Kings 8:17-19   NKJV

You also may have been holding a dream within your heart to do something special for God but you've not been able to. You have had to watch someone else fulfilling your dream and it has hurt quite a lot. Don't be sad or crestfallen. Be encouraged because God wants to say to you, 'You did well that it was in your heart.' Your intentions were good and God is pleased and He has noted your intentions. You will be rewarded.

The Ancient Greek had an interpretation for hungering and thirsting. If they needed bread, they were happy to settle for just a piece, not the whole. It was the same for water and really anything else. They settled for a portion not the whole.

William Barclay writes:

'This Beatitude says that it is not enough to be satisfied with a partial goodness. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for the goodness which is total.'

God does not want you settling for second best. He doesn't want you settling for a piece of righteous and blessing. He wants you to have it all: 'For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.'  2 Corinthians 5:21.

Therefore, you righteous person of God, rise up in Jesus because you're blessed and your hunger and thirst for Him will be satisfied.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com