By: Juliet Constantine

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

To suffer hunger is a cruel thing. Many can relate to days without food or at least one meal for the day. Hunger pangs leave many twisted in pain or with a growling stomach. Hunger itself should be seen as a crime against humanity. Many have in abundance, yet so many are deprived. Many eat, from a variety of choices, until their stomach's bulge; yet many wished they had just the crumb, a handful of rice, or a finger of banana to ease the stomach pains. Many wished for fresh clean water, while being thankful for the contaminated water that can be boiled.

Such was the case when Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie penned the song "'We Are the World' a charity single originally recorded by supergroup USA for Africa in 1985.” (Wikipedia.org) The world was saddened by the grave starvation of black people in Africa-- the response was tremendous.

However, Jesus taught of another type of hunger and thirst. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” He said. To hunger and thirst for righteousness is a deep desire to be like Jesus, to be totally pure like Him. This righteousness cannot be purchased and there is no work we can do to attain it – it is a gift from God. Jesus assured us that when we greatly desire to be pure like Him, He will cover us with His righteousness. We will be filled.

“As we need food to sustain our physical strength, so do we need Christ, the Bread from heaven, to sustain spiritual life and impart strength to work the works of God. As the body is continually receiving the nourishment that sustains life and vigor, so the soul must be constantly communing with Christ, submitting to Him and depending wholly upon Him. As the weary traveler seeks the spring in the desert and, finding it, quenches his burning thirst, so will the Christian thirst for and obtain the pure water of life, of which Christ is the fountain.” (EGW TFMB pg19)

For what is your soul hungering and thirsting? Today, as we play our part to feed the hungry and thirsting among us, let us take time to gaze upon Christ's purity as we get better acquainted with Him through His words. By beholding we will become dissatisfied with ourselves and become in favor of being like Jesus. By beholding, we will become changed.

Are you hungering and thirsting for a closer relationship with Jesus? He said, “… come, buy and eat without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1). Like the woman at the well, may we cry out, "give me water from the well that I thirst no more."

O Holy Father, we thank You for blessing us with food and water to sustain our physical bodies. Please help us to share with those in need. We pray that You will cover us with Jesus’ righteousness that will sustain our spiritual life. Thank you for taking care of the whole man, Is our prayer, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)