A newborn child is unable to communicate with words and cannot obtain that which they deeply desire. They communicate through tears, coos, and screams when they need a diaper change, want extra cuddles, or are hungry/thirsty. In the early days of a baby’s life, the parents seek to understand the child’s needs and over time, they discover the uniqueness of the communication for each of the needs.
As we mature and grow, we become less dependent on other people and sadly we come to a place where we stop sharing what we need with other people—including God. We take our spiritual growth on as a daily task or an endeavor to complete, thinking we are in charge of our growth in righteousness and holiness. We become self-reliant and over time, our self-reliance places us ahead of Jesus.
In Matthew 5:6 we read, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Jesus’ invitation to us in this Beatitude is to recognize our need for righteousness in our lives and to pursue it like we would food to satiate our growling stomach and water to satiate our parched tongue. Too often when our spiritual lives feel empty, we tend to add more disciplines or try to figure out what is wrong. Jesus speaks here of seeking after righteousness and that is what brings the satiation or fill, we are seeking.
How are you hungering and thirsting for righteousness through seeking the Lord? How are you seeking righteousness dependent on the Lord to be the one to bring the fill? Where do you need to be more like the deer in Psalm 42:1, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God”?
Prayer: Lord, I hunger and thirst for righteousness that only you can bring to my life. I want you to fill me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.