Matthew 5:6 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Part 2 ~ God’s Supply Of Righteousness For The Hungry & Thirsty
God has blessed our nation with plenty; and so when we are hungry, we sit down to a great feast at supper time – and find there is always more than we can eat! Because of such a bountiful supply, we are able to eat until we are full. God, Who is rich in mercy towards us, has also supplied us with a feast of righteousness; and if we are thirsty and hungry, we can drink and eat of His righteousness until our whole being is filled with His goodness.
“Hungering” and “thirsting” are images of longing after God in both the Old and New Testaments (Isaiah 55:1; Psalms 42:2; John 4:13, 7:37; Revelation 21:6, 22:17). The righteousness of God is something we should long for more than anything else; but unfortunately, many of God’s people fail to even realize what righteousness is – much less hunger and thirst for it!
Righteousness is defined by the conduct and lifestyle of God Almighty. Righteousness is everything pertaining unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-11). It was modeled for us by Jesus; and He died for us, so we could be dead to sin and enabled to live in righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). Righteousness is the behavior and disposition of love. Righteousness is not man’s vain attempt to please God; rather righteousness is the conduct of the redeemed. However, unless a person is born of the Spirit, then they will never be able to fully realize the character and conduct of the Almighty; and their attempt will be vain.
Jesus couples the Kingdom of God with the righteousness of God, and places them before us as that which we should desire above all other things (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1-4). The righteousness of God has been made available to us as a free gift (Romans 5:17). Our hearts and spirits have been recreated in righteousness and true holiness by the Spirit of God, so we can know and do those things pertaining unto His righteousness (Ephesians 4:24; Romans 6:11-23).
Let us be thirsty today, and come and drink of the righteousness supplied by the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18). Let us be hungry, so we may yield to God’s abundant and rich supply of righteousness in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17, 5:17,21, 10:6-10; Philippians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 6:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30).
Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
