In my family “come and get it” meant dinner was on the table and we all rushed in because we were hungry and ready to eat – we needed very little prompting. Afternoons seemed to last forever because as active boys burning lots of calories we were always hungry. If it was a school night we had to wait until dad got home from the city. If it was a weekend then we had to endure the enticing aroma coming from the BBQ, which seemed to take hours!
We start out as babies and our appetites rule our lives, set our schedules and govern our daily routines. No wonder Jesus employed the imagery of hunger and thirst in the fourth Beatitude, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
The dictionary defines righteousness in terms of acting right. It is being virtuous, moral, good, honest, and just. To be sure this is an essential part of the biblical concept but the simple definition, which I like best, fits better with the New Testament idea – being right with God. At its root unrighteousness is being wrong with God, that is, our relationship with God is broken. This disconnection from God results in all sorts of manifestations of bad behavior – often referred to as sins. But the core problem with unrighteousness is not behavior, although that is bad enough; it is much deeper. The core problem is a broken relationship with God.
It is obvious that hunger and thirst are meant to be a descriptive metaphor for intense desire, craving, longing, and relentless pursuit. About 15 years ago J. Robertson McQuilken resigned as President of Columbia Bible College to take care of his wife who had developed Alzheimer’s disease. At first the board brought someone into their home to take care of her so he could attend to his duties but in the end it was necessary for him to stay at home with her. Alzheimer’s disease manifests itself in different ways, but McQuilken writes about how his wife taught him how to hunger and thirst for God:
“During the last two years, it became increasingly difficult to keep Muriel at home. As soon as I left for the office, she would take out after me barefooted. With me she was content. Without me she was distressed. Sometimes terror-stricken. The walk to school was a mile round-trip. She would make that trip as many as ten times a day. Sometimes at night when I helped her undress, I found bloody feet because she had walked barefooted. When I told our family physician, he choked up. He simply said, “such love.” I wish I loved God like that. Desperate to be near Him at all times. Thus, Muriel teaches me, day by day. To relate my life to God is simply to have this as my heart’s desire. I wish I loved God like that. Desperate to be near him at all times.”
What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? It is an ache in your soul that longs to be forgiven, to be restored to our Creator. Many ignore the spiritual hunger they feel and become numb to it. Others try to satisfy their spiritual hunger with the equivalent of Twinkies and Coke – it tastes OK but it doesn’t nourish. Jesus said He is real food and real drink – the only spiritual food that will satisfy your soul. He is the only one that can make you right with God.
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by Dr. J. Patrick Curtis, Senior Pastor
Valley Bible Church
851 Fairview Terrace
White River Junction, VT
Sponsored by Valley Bible Church
Published in the Valley News Tuesday, February 22 , 2005
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