They who hunger and thirst
Matt. 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
We Americans have more to make life easier than any other people of any other time. We have the finest homes, the best clothes, eat the best food, yet we have more suicides, more divorces, more people in jail, more mental illnesses than any other people of any other time. For most life is a grim desperate unhappy affair. We would do well by living these 8 principles we call the Beatitudes, following these and we will be blessed.
Our greatest ambitions should be not how much we can possess, but how right our lives can become!
Hunger and thirst are two of the greatest motivators, are we motivated toward a life of righteousness. Not religiousity, not legalistic religion, put a right relationship with God. Having a hunger for God that cannot be satisfied by a mid-afternoon snack, having a thirst for a right relationship with God that cannot be satisfied by a cold drink or a cup of coffee. But satisfied by a lifelong lifestyle that pleases HIM.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are grieved over the unrighteousness which they live in. They cry out for personal and social righteousness, they are homesick for heaven. H.G. Wells once said; “Somewhere maybe a person who is a very bad musician yet be passionately in love with music.
Having this hunger or thirst is not perfection, it is longing for that perfection. It is never being satisfied with what we have already done, but looking forward to what we can do. It is always striving for more.
It is a lifelong pursuit
1. It is having the right attitude toward sin and getting rid of the things that trip us up.
Hebrews 12:1-3
HEB 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart
Proverbs 15:9
The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
2. It is a never-ending pursuit of being a disciple of Jesus
Isa 51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
1 Tim 6:11ff But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
Then we have this promise:
1. We will be His Children
1 John 3:10 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
2. We will have this heavenly home we long for
2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
3. We will be satisfied
A MAN NAMED BOB BECAME ENVIOUS OF HIS FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY HAD LARGER AND MORE LUXURIOUS HOMES THAN HE DID. SO HE LISTED HIS HOUSE WITH A REAL ESTATE FIRM, PLANNING TO SELL IT AND TO PURCHASE A MORE IMPRESSIVE HOME. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, AS HE WAS READING THE CLASSIFIED SECTION OF THE NEWSPAPER, HE SAW AN AD FOR A HOUSE THAT SEEMED JUST RIGHT. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE REALTOR AND SAID, "A HOUSE DESCRIBED IN TODAY’S PAPER IS EXACTLY WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR. I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" THE AGENT ASKED HIM SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND THEN REPLIED, "BUT BOB, THAT’S YOUR HOUSE.”
Matt. 5:6
Phil 4:12 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Rev. 7:13ff Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"
REV 7:14 I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
I once read a story written by a man named Franz Koffka. The story was entitled “The Hunger Artist.” And of all the works by Koffka, this one short story seemed to sum his personal thoughts about life. This story was such an expression of him and had such an impression on him that he desired all of his other works to be burned, but insisted that this one be spared. The story goes like this:
Once upon a time, there was a man known as the Hunger Artist. He made his living by professional fasting. He would go for extended periods of time without eating and drinking anything and people would pay to see him do it. At that time, professional fasting was a respected, appreciated, and very lucrative business. Picture this in your mind.... There would sit the hunger artist on straw in a small cage expressing his will power to go for long periods without eating or drinking anything. He would fast for forty days and when the forty days were up the band would play, and his manager would give a speech.
Then two attractive ladies would lead him in his weakened condition out of the cage. The crowd would roar with excitement and ultimately they would pay him a great sum of money in appreciation to his great work of art.
However, there came a time when professional fasting was no longer understood nor appreciated by the people. The man lost his manager and had to join the circus. When he hooked up with the circus, he became down and depressed; despondent and discouraged because of the raw meat that constantly passed him… Because of the roaring of the animals at night… Because of the horrible smell that filled the air…The people paid him no attention as they rushed by him to see the more popular exhibits in the circus.
He was ignored and forgotten about, even the leaders and the owners of the circus forgot him. His fast went way past forty days, because nobody bothered to count the days. And ultimately they found him one day half conscience slumped over in the cage.... They rushed over to assist him and in his last dying breath, he told his secret.... He simply said, “I have to fast; I have no choice.... You see, I couldn’t find any food that would satisfy me…” (repeat)
I thought this was a unique story, and as I studied and learned more about the author Franz Koffka, the story became a little more significant and a little more important, for I discovered that Koffka was an atheist. He didn’t have a religion; he didn’t believe in any God!
When I put together that fact that he was an atheist, and the fact that this parable seemed in his words, to sum up what he felt about life, I came to the understanding that the story of “The Hunger Artist” was not about Physical Hunger but it was about Spiritual Hunger.... Underneath the surface of this story, Franz Koffka was talking about his own spiritual condition! You see, he was The Hunger Artist.... He recognized his soul was starving, but he said, “I can’t find anything in life that will satisfy me!”
Only in Christ can we have food and drink that will satisfy
