Blessed are
those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew Chapter 5)
I have
experienced both hunger and thirst, but not to extremes.
If you
cannot satisfy either sensation, it is possible to endure and even get over the
initial feeling.
In some situations,
there is no choice. But the drive to satisfy that hunger with food, and that thirst with water, is powerful.
Starvation sadly does exist in our world. Even in our
western society, people sometimes die as a result of starvation. Diseases
sometimes rob us of our appetite. It is also an observation of mine that people
that use heavier drugs often lose weight and become gaunt. The appetite for drugs over-riding that for food.
I will never
forget a young mother once telling me that the desire for drugs overtakes
everything, even care for your own child. In tears she described doing nothing
for her daughter's birthday as she turned 5, instead spending what she had on a hit.
Certainly
the hunger for drugs must be powerful.
But what of
this hunger and thirst for righteousness?
What is it?
How powerful is it?
Having
discussed it in bible study recently, one of my brothers mistook this as the
hunger for justice.
Yes, this
too is a hunger. A strong driving force that can keep us awake at night, in
prayer to God, in anxiety, in plotting for revenge, but this is not a hunger
for righteousness, in my opinion.
The hunger
for righteousness, in my opinion, is the sense that one is overwhelmed with
conviction of their own sin and unrighteousness. A sense that they now can see
an inkling of how we were meant to be, created to be, and how far we have
fallen from that state.
It includes
a sense of God’s utter holiness, and our utter unworthiness. A sense of how
deserving we are of punishment or abandonment for our sin.
This sense
can drive us in certain directions.
I believe
it was the hunger for righteousness that led Nicodemus to seek Jesus at night
in John Chapter 3.
This same hunger
drove the rich young ruler to run and fall at Jesus feet, asking Jesus how a
man can find eternal life in Mark 10:17. The interesting point here is that
although he had been trying to follow the 10 commandments all his life, his
hunger had not truly been satisfied.
I also
believe it was this same realization of unholiness that led Peter to tell Jesus
to go away from him in Luke 5:8.
I think
that without a hunger for righteousness, we can’t actually come to faith and
salvation.
I came to
faith relatively painlessly as a university student, but soon after, in those early days I
came across some false teaching regarding salvation. A very strict view of the "how to" of
salvation which added full immersion baptism to faith and repentance. There
were other points. I struggled with this. I couldn’t theologically argue my way
out of these propositions, and for a time I felt totally lost. IE going to hell
for my sins.
I still
know clearly that I remain totally unworthy of God’s presence and love in my
life. Still every day, I struggle with sin.
Before I
finish this personal point, I want to re-tell a story from a great teacher.
He
described being at a series of meetings where he was teaching from the bible in
his usual manner.
He was
finishing off one talk, which would lead into a break, and then he would
continue on with the topic.
He finished on a difficult point. He clearly stated that God, in His holiness and
righteousness, could not, would not, ever forgive sin.
I agree
this was an awkward spot to finish that talk.
During the
break (probably coffee and chat for 15 minutes) a lady who had been listening,
pushed through the crowd to speak personally to him.
She said to
him.
You just said that God could not, and would
not forgive sin.
He replied “Yes,
that’s what I said”.
I imagine with
a cold sweat and in desperation she cried to him; “Well then, what hope is
there for me?”
“None
whatsoever” was his reply.
“Apart from
the cross.”
I’m sure
that he went on to complete a rich series of meetings proclaiming the power of
the cross of Jesus, and I have no doubt that this lady, from that day on, was
secure in the love of Christ, and his great work for us all on the cross.
Back to my story.
A good friend (Greg) many years ago, saw how troubled I was regarding baptism and being right with God. He gave a cassette tape, which I played in my car. I can still remember where I was, in Sydney, at dusk, parking before I met a friend.
On this tape I heard that same teacher powerfully proclaiming the message of grace and the cross.
In quiet tears my hunger and thirst were finally satisfied.
I've made a point of keeping my infant baptism since then, as my only baptism experience. But I also espouse adult baptism as a great way to express what God has already done.
So, as I
ponder the need for revival in our land, I think that, were God to bring
revival, one sign would be a great hunger and thirst for righteousness.