“Hunger and thirst animate our actions and move us in specific directions.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 6, 2024
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6, ESV
Can you think of a time when you were desperately thirsty or hungry? Perhaps you went on a long hike and didn’t pack enough to eat or drink, leaving you without essential nutrients for hours. In moments such as these, it seems as though every other care or concern disappears, with your mind solely focused on doing whatever it takes to meet your body’s demands.
In our lives with God, Jesus compares our longing for righteousness to hunger and thirst, which is meant to consume us and orient our every action and decision. And quite remarkably, he says the satisfaction and blessing are found not only in the quenching of that thirst or filling of our spiritual bellies but in the search itself. When you and I thirst for God and long for his kingdom, we are living a blessed life.
Hunger and thirst animate our actions and move us in specific directions. When our every desire is met and we are filled to the brim, our inclination is to take a nap in a hammock in the shade, not to set out on the hunt for provision. Yet “on the hunt,” as it were, is precisely the posture that you and I are meant to take. In fact, this is one of the great gifts of a regular and intentional discipline of fasting. Fasting keeps us hungry which in turn keeps us on the move.
If your every desire is met, physical or spiritual, you will grow complacent and inattentive, easily losing sight of what makes for a truly fulfilling life. Instead, hear today our Lord’s words, spoken afresh to you, and remember the blessing that is found when we embrace a lifestyle of hungering and thirsting after the food and drink that eternally satisfies and will never run out.
Prayer
Father, keep us hungry for the eternal food of your kingdom and thirsty for the living water that never runs out, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Application
How can you today celebrate the blessing that is found in a life that hungers and thirsts for righteousness?
Related Reading
Psalm 42:2; Isaiah 55:1-2; John 4:13-14
Worship Resource
Matt Maher, Chris Brown, Mia Fieldes: In The Room
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