Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 NABRE
For we humans thirst is more profound than hunger, people have been known to last more than a month without food, but without water death will occur in days. The infant starts drinking from the moment of its birth and the dying are thirsty in their final moments. Hunger and thirst are foundational, we are hungry and thirsty without even thinking about it. No matter how much we drink or eat we will be hungry and thirsty again, we are never satisfied completely. Physically it is a sign of health to be hungry and thirsty. On the spiritual level the same is true. Jesus is speaking in this verse about being hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God. To be righteous means we want justice and not the justice of humanity but the justice of God. It is a deep desire to respect nature, a desire that all things live in harmony, it is a deep desire that the will of God be done, and it is a longing for the glory of God. In order to live this blessing we must always be a little hungry and thirsty, not seeking complete satisfaction. This guttural desire will keep us inwardly open to a deeper satisfaction, more justice, more will of God. In order to experience this desire fully our heart must be like the heart of Jesus, always burning to please God, to do the will of his Father.
We want our heart to be identified with the heart of Jesus, to be as Jesus on the Cross when he said, “I thirst.” (John 19:28) Jesus wants us to be close, to understand what it means to hunger and thirst for spiritual righteousness, when we do we relieve the thirst of Jesus a little in us. The only righteous one we know is God, so to be satisfied is to be more like God.
Do you hunger and thirst for justice? Do you want your heart to be like Jesus’ heart?
Jesus wants us to be close, to understand what it means to hunger and thirst for spiritual righteousness, when we do we relieve the thirst of Jesus a little in us. Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #hunger #thirst #Matthew #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray #prayer #goodnews #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways