Mid-Week Inspiration: Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
The Greek word translated as righteousness in this beatitude has many meanings. It has been translated as righteousness, justice, justification, and even piety throughout the New Testament.
Blessed are those who long for God, for they know they will be satisfied in God. It is as the Psalmist describes, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42: 1 - 2).
Blessed are the ones who feel hunger to know God. Or again, as the psalmist says, “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).
In his Confessions, Saint Augustine gets at the heart of this beatitude when he writes, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
Blessed are those who hunger to spend time with the Lord. Blessed are those who do not have to be persuaded to come to the table.
And with righteousness linked to justice, it can be said, “Blessed are those who do not have to be persuaded to come to the table and bring others with them to the table of God’s grace.”
In Luke’s parallel passage, Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry” (Luke 6: 21, 25).
It reminds me of the song Mary - the mother of Jesus - sings about her child, “He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1: 53).
Blessed are those who long for a world where children will no longer starve, mothers no longer have to send their sons off to war, the poor are not neglected, the homeless have shelter, and the abandoned know love.
Blessed are you when your hunger has you longing that all who hunger for food be filled by the God who provides.
While some live comfortable with injustice, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice.
Blessed are those whose hunger for righteousness creates a longing for all that is wrong in our world to be made right, for then we will all be filled with God’s love.
Jamey
Happening at Gainesville First United Methodist Church
This will be an Easter that you do not want to miss!
I have exciting news to share: You can now read Jamey’s Newsletter in the new Substack app for iPhone.
With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscribe to. New posts will never get lost in your email filters or stuck in spam. Longer posts will never be cut-off by your email app. Comments and rich media will all work seamlessly. Overall, it’s a big upgrade to the reading experience.
The Substack app is currently available for iOS. If you don’t have an Apple device, you can join the Android waitlist here.