The “BEATITUDES” Part 4

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

Righteousness is an attribute of God only. Righteousness means-right actions or one who does right all the time. Now the question is who is right all the time? Who has the right thinking and actions? None other than God. God is morally and ethically right and perfect all the time. Bible says in Psalm 145:17, “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” Deuteronomy 32:4 says, “His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.

Today’s insight says, “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” What does it mean when it says hunger and thirst for righteousness? It means this -you want to be right. However, you know you are not right all the time. You want to think right. You want to see and hear the right things. But your thinking process and actions are tainted by the principle of sin and unrighteousness. This is the truth if you like it or not. No human being is righteous. Only God is righteous. This is why the Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The desire is there but the ability is not there. This creates a vacuum in our hearts and someone said that vacuum is a ‘God-shaped’ one.

Therefore, you come to a point where you recognize you are helpless unless God helps you in your situation. You want to be right. But you know in your heart you are not right. You want to think right. You want to talk right. You want to respond and act right? However, in your system, there is a problem by which you are not able to think, talk, respond or act right all the time in a consistent way. No exception- we all are in the same predicament. Only God can fill the vacuum.

Beloved, however, amid your struggles, you hunger and thirst to live, talk, respond and act right. However, you are surrounded by people and circumstances that influence you to live wrong. However, deep inside you are hungering and thirsting for righteousness-right living and actions. You sought after many things hoping those things would fill the vacuum inside you. However, it left only more regrets and guilt feelings. In essence, you are thirsting and hungering for righteousness.

Is that you?

I gonna introduce you to a lady whom Jesus took time to talk to when she came alone to draw water. The woman was married five times and was living with another man who was not her husband. Yet Jesus took time from her busy day to talk to her. (read John 4). Jesus did not give her teaching or lecturing on an immoral life. Instead, Jesus spoke to her about the thirst deep inside her. She wanted to be right. However, circumstances and people influenced her to live wrong. However, the love of Jesus reached out to her. God’s love is amazing and mind-boggling and it can reach out to you even when I am speaking to you now.

Jesus told her this and it is recorded in John 4:13-14, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

You see, the water that Jesus gives not only quench her deep thirst but also it would become a spring of water welling up to everlasting life. It means you won’t just die and then be buried under the mud. You would have everlasting life in heaven with God. Your connection to Jesus satisfies the thirst and hunger now and forever. You do not need to thirst after things that can never bring real joy and satisfaction. No pleasures, the human relationship would satisfy your deep thirst. Your deep thirst is for God, His love, care, and plan. The lady at the well was not thirsty after she met Jesus and believed in Him. She was filled/ covered with God’s righteousness. Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.”

Beloved, the standard of perfect righteous living is too high for you to attain. God knew about it all. Aren’t you glad God made provision for your righteousness? God put all your sins on His Son, Jesus. Jesus died in your place for your sins, so that you become perfect right in the holy presence of God. When you come to Jesus Christ and believe in him, you are made righteous and perfect in the sight of a perfectly holy God. Jesus was treated as the sinner. And thereby you would be given the robe of righteousness to adorn you. God makes you perfect and right by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Beloved, I don’t know who you are. I don’t know where you are. However, may I ask you this question? Are you hungering and thirsting for righteousness – for right living? Do you want to know and do God’s will for your life? Do you understand you cannot achieve the right living even with your best efforts? If so, Jesus says you are blessed. You are happy if you have been thirsting for the right living. Whatever horrible and defiled condition you are in, It does not matter. What matters is this- God loves you. Jesus loves you. You will be covered with God’s righteousness if you come to Jesus right now. He forgives and cleanses you. He redeems you from your past. God makes you a brand new creation, pure and honorable for his purposes.

Got a moment for today’s prayer. “Father in heaven, I hunger and thirst for right and living according to your expectations. I know I cannot attain your holy standards even with my best efforts. I need the savior. I need Jesus in my life. I believe he died and rose again in my place for my sins. Please help and save me today. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”