Hunger and Thirst

What is your heart’s desire? What is it that you long for more than anything else? What are you striving for every day? What consumes your attention? What are you working toward? What are you focusing on today? Are you progressing toward your goal?

If you are like me, there have been many things you have worked toward during your lifetime. Some of those are short-term goals, perhaps accomplished in a few days or weeks. Others are long-term and you are still working toward them. But they all are only our focus for short periods of time.

In the fourth Beatitude, Jesus uses a word that can have two meanings. They are related yet are a little different. The word often translated as righteousness can also mean justice. In the context of what Jesus is stating, righteousness appears to make the most sense. Pursuing righteousness is to attempt to do what is right in the sight of God. It means we strive to continually obey God’s commands, follow his guidance, and be a good representative of his.

Justice can also fit and may also be intended by Jesus. For God is just. Including justice with righteousness means we include treating everyone justly and seek justice for everyone. We might even say that justice is one piece of righteousness.

Whether we interpret it as righteousness or justice or include both meanings, Jesus says we will be filled. To be filled is to be completely full. In John 10:10, Jesus says He came to give us abundant life, sometimes translated as life to the full. A full life, one filled with Jesus is available to us, if we are pursuing right conduct in the eyes of God. We will be completely filled by God.

I pray we all hunger and thirst for righteousness. I pray we seek right conduct before God. I pray each one of us seek justice and righteousness and trust God will fill us completely. Hunger for righteousness. Thirst for righteousness. Seek right conduct. Seek justice. Be filled by God.

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Mourning and Meekness

Are there things you are sorry for? Have you done things you wish you hadn’t? Have you faced persecution? Do you struggle to make ends meet? Do you feel as though you are invisible? Does it seem as though people walk on you? Are you seeking relief? Do you desire being noticed?

We all have done things we shouldn’t have done. We can all look back over our lives and wish we had made better decisions. Most of us have struggled financially at one point or another and may be struggling now. Some of us may feel as though no one is listening to us.

Jesus promising blessings for those who are in these situations. When He speaks of those who mourn, there are several meanings for that word. It means those who are sorry for their sin, anyone who is groaning due to persecution, or someone struggling financially. In all these cases, we cry out to God. We experience sorrow, depression, grief, frustration, or guilt. All of this is wrapped up in the word translated as mourn. Yet Jesus says we will be comforted when we find ourselves in these situations.

When Jesus states the meek will be blessed, He is also referring to multiple meanings. The word means to be poor, oppressed, humble, or gentle. It refers to those who are financially poor and forced into relying on God. It means those who are oppressed by others, whether by an overpowering person or a government. It means those who do not stand up for themselves, who are walked on by others. Jesus says they will inherit the earth. They will reign with Him when He returns.

We can all take comfort in Jesus’ promises and be confident that He will fulfill them. He may fulfill them through others during this lifetime. He may fulfill them quickly. He may not fulfill them until He returns. We need to hold onto them and trust Him. We may need to endure for a time, but we can be sure that our time of mourning and struggle will come to an end.

I pray we all trust Jesus’ promises. I pray we cry out to God during our times of struggle. I pray each one of us continue to look forward to Jesus fulfilling His promises and to His return. Trust Jesus. Cry out to God. Jesus will fulfill His promises. Jesus will return. Hold onto your faith.

Matthew 5:4-5

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Seeking Understanding

Are you looking for advice? Are you seeking insights for living your life to the full? How are you going about getting the advice you are seeking? Is it from self-help books? Are you reading professional journals? Do you have a mentor or someone you specifically seek for advice?

We can all continue to learn and continue to improve our lives. Many professions provide mentors for people new to them. Some companies provide a sponsor for the first thirty days to help someone learn the business culture. We can attend conferences to learn new techniques.

Our Christian walk is no different than our professional walk. We can all continue to learn. In fact, scholars continue to uncover new understandings of God’s Word. How so? Archeology provides insights into the culture and meaning of words and phrases from the time Scripture was written. Extra biblical writings provide deeper understanding of the meaning of specific words. Why is it important? Language changes over time and meanings are lost.

Jesus’ early disciples followed Him to gain understanding. Just as it is for us two-thousand years after Jesus walked this earth, so it was for them. The Israelites had not been given any prophecy for four-hundred years. Some prophecies were a thousand years old. The disciples sought out Jesus to gain a better understanding of God’s Word. They saw in Him authority and wisdom.

We, too, can go to Jesus to better understand God’s Word. We can go to Him to gain insight into how we should live our life to the full. Though Jesus does not give us advice regarding which job we should accept or house to buy, He does tell us how we are to view life. He instructs us to love, show grace, show mercy, forgive, serve, and care for one another. Living by Jesus’ guidance helps us live an abundant life.

I pray we all go to Jesus for life advice. I pray we seek to better understand God’s Word. I pray each one of us lives the abundant life as we follow the teachings of Jesus. Seek an abundant life. Follow Jesus’ guidance. Seek to understand God’s Word. Love and care for one another.

Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.

Let Your Light Shine

How often have you thought about light? Do you think about it only when you are in a dark room and decide to turn the light on? Do you think about being a light yourself? Why or why not? Do you think about spreading the light of Jesus wherever you go?

We know inherently that light dispels darkness. We can go into any dark room, turn on a light, and immediately the darkness disappears. Yet, we often do this absentmindedly. We don’t think about it. We take it for granted. Perhaps we should consciously think about it.

For those of us who are believers, we have the light of Jesus in us. We can shine that light into a dark world every moment of every day. Yet, too often, we choose to keep that light turned off. Whether it is out of fear that we will be ostracized by friends or family or some other reason, we hide it. But showing the light of Jesus does not require us to always speak His name to others.

We can show the light of Jesus through our attitude toward others, in both good and bad situations, and the general way we talk. It is by showing His light in these ways that others become curious and ask how we can be so positive or calm or steady, which presents an opportunity to tell them who keeps us in such a state. We must first show the light of Jesus, then witness about Him when the opportunity arises. This is how we draw people to Jesus and to the church.

I pray we decide to show the light of Jesus every moment of every day. I pray we choose to allow the light of Jesus to shine through us. I pray each one of us will tell others about Jesus when the opportunity arises, bringing them into relationship with Him. Show the light of Jesus. Allow the light to shine through you. Tell others about Jesus.

Matthew 5:16: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Salt of the Earth

What comes to mind when you hear the term salty? Do you think of someone who is colorful or offensive or condescending? If you have heard that term used for someone, one of those descriptive words just may come to mind. Have you used that term for someone or yourself?

Sailors will often call someone who is higher in rank salty, especially the enlisted sailors. It not only means all those descriptive words mentioned above but also means they are experienced and wise. It comes from the idea that they have crossed a lot of sea water.

We are to be salty but in a different kind of way. Salt adds flavor, it seasons food. It preserves as well. Long before there was refrigeration, salt was used to preserve meat. Ever heard of salt pork? But if salt had lost its properties to flavor or preserve food, it was of no use anymore other than to be thrown in the street to make the path smoother.

If we are to be the salt of the earth, we cannot lose the properties that preserve and add flavor. We are to spread the message of Jesus, thereby both adding flavor to the world and preserving it. Telling others about Jesus will enhance their lives, even if they initially reject the message. Showing them Jesus through our actions and behavior will make their lives better, even if they don’t recognize it. If they do accept the message of Jesus and accept Him as Lord and Savior, they are preserved by gaining eternal life with Him. So, be the salt of the earth.

I pray we all spread the message of Jesus. I pray we show Jesus to others through our actions and behavior. I pray each one of us will hold onto our faith in Jesus and be the salt of the earth. Tell others about Jesus. Show others Jesus in your behavior. Hold onto your faith. Be the salt of the earth.

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.”

Weak and Despised

Thinking too highly of ourselves is problematic. It can lead to pride, pride that is based on a house of cards. When that house falls, it can be catastrophic. Most of us were not born with a silver spoon in our mouth. We do not come from royalty. We are common, working-class people.

Since we are not of noble birth, we have no reason to think of ourselves as better than others. It is a fine line between being confident in our abilities and being prideful. The only way we can walk that fine line is to remember that it is by God’s grace that we have our abilities.

The Apostle Paul reminds the church in Corinth, and us, that is God who has chosen us and is working through us. It is in God that we should boast. We are to give him the credit for our abilities. We should thank him for blessing us with them. And we should be confident in God rather than ourselves.

When Paul says God has chosen the foolish to shame the wise, it does not mean that we will see that in this lifetime. Paul is referring to Jesus’ return, when the wise of this world who did not believe in Jesus will be put to shame. For anyone who believes in Jesus, who decides to follow Him, will be proven to be wise. Though being weak and despised in this world, perhaps being called foolish for their belief, they will be given a crown of glory. Therefore, hold on to your faith, be humble before God, and thank him for your blessings.

I pray we all give up our pridefulness. I pray we humble ourselves before God. I pray each one of us praise God for his wonderful grace and thank him for blessing us with our abilities. Give up pride. Humble yourself before God. Praise God for his grace. Thank God for his blessings.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.

Foolishness of the World

Have you noticed that God sometimes does things the opposite of what we think he should do? Have you heard that Jesus turned the world upside down? Is it because God enjoys toying with us or we fail to fall in line with God? Do we think we are too good to follow God?

Jesus turned the world on its head in many ways. He served the poor, healed the sick, raised the dead, and hung out with sinners. He instructed us to be humble, be a servant, share with the poor, take care of widows and orphans, and wrapped it all up with love.

The world tells us to chase our dreams, pursue riches, seek a promotion, ignore the helpless, and honor the rich and famous. The world teaches selfishness while Jesus teaches selflessness. The world teaches pridefulness while Jesus teaches humbleness. The world teaches hording while Jesus teaches sharing. The world teaches being served while Jesus teaches to serve.

God has used what is foolish in human minds to be wisdom in his. He has made the wisdom of the world foolishness. As the world chases after power and riches, God has shown us that being satisfied with what we have is a blessing. The wisdom of the world says no one can be raised from the dead, yet God raised Jesus on the third day. It is through the foolishness of believing in the resurrection that we acquire the wisdom of God.

We have a choice to make. We can continue to chase the foolishness of the world, or we can accept the wisdom of God. Following the wisdom of the world is foolishness according to God. It is only by putting our faith in Jesus that we gain eternal life and begin to learn the wisdom of God.

I pray we all choose to let go of the foolishness of the world. I pray we choose the wisdom of God. I pray each one of us will believe in Jesus, putting our faith in Him, and gain eternal life. Choose God’s wisdom. Believe in Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. Gain eternal life.

1 Corinthians 1:20-21 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe.

Foolishness or Power

What is foolishness to you? Is it someone acting silly? Is it someone doing something that is both dangerous and unnecessary? Have you thought that foolishness may be different for different folks? Is Jesus going to the cross to save the world foolishness to you?

Foolishness comes in many forms and can be judged so in the eye of the beholder. Some would say it is foolishness to repel down a rocky cliff that stand five-hundred feet high. Others might say foolishness is attempting to swim the English Channel. Still others will equate it to something someone says.

The Apostle Paul says there are people in this world who believe the message of Jesus going to the cross is foolishness. He also states they are perishing. What does that mean? It means they will not inherit an eternal life with God but will be forever separated from him, which will be eternal torment. Yet, Paul says the message of the cross is the power of God which saves us. And for those of us being saved, we see the power of God in the cross.

But I wonder if we do see the power of God in the cross? If we are trying to earn our way to heaven, we do not. If we believe that God will send us away empty handed if we disobey, we do not. The power of the cross is that our sins are destroyed. They are wiped out. And lest we forget, by going to the cross, Jesus demonstrated the abundant love God has for us. Since God loves us more than we can comprehend, we can trust that he will never abandon us and will always provide for us. Are there consequences for sin? Yes. But God never turns his back on us.

I pray we all see the power of God in the message of the cross. I pray we know that our sins are destroyed. I pray each one of us knows that God loves us more than we can comprehend. See the power of the cross. Your sins are destroyed. God loves you. Trust him in all things.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Seek the Lord

If you could have only one thing in life, what would it be? Is there a singular goal you are working toward? Do you have a plan to achieve that goal? Are there other people who are helping you achieve it? Are you focusing on material things this world has to offer?

We chase many goals during our lifetimes. Our goals as children are different than when we are young adults. As we grow older, our goals change. Where we might have the goal of purchasing a home when we are young, we focus more on preparing for retirement as we age.

The psalmist says there is only one thing he is asking of God. His number one goal is to live with God. He wants to observe and be in awe of the beauty of God and to meet him in his temple. He had a heart’s desire to be with God all the time. Can you imagine what that type of desire would be like? How would that change your life?

Having a desire to be with God all the time does not mean we don’t live our lives. It means we have God right there at the front of our mind. We think about him all day. We make decisions based on how we believe he wants us to make them. We view others as God views them—his children. We choose to follow his commands. We choose to follow Jesus’ example. We show mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love to others. Imagine how the world would change if every professed believer in Jesus would make being with God their top priority.

I pray we all seek to be with God every day. I pray we keep God at the front of our mind as we go through our daily lives. I pray each one of us follow Jesus’ example as we interact with others. Seek God today. Seek God every day. Keep God at the front of your mind. Follow Jesus’ example.

Psalm 27:4

One thing I asked of the Lord; 

this I seek: 

to live in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life, 

to behold the beauty of the Lord, 

and to inquire in his temple.

Light and Protector

Who is the light of your life? Is it your spouse? Is it your parents? Is it you children? Who do you lean on when you need strength. Is it any of those some people? Or is it someone else? Or do you think you can handle it all on your own? Will you turn to the One who can truly help?

We hear people say a specific person is the light of their life. We may say it ourselves. Or, if we don’t say it, we think it or know in our hearts it is true. There are people in our lives we know we can count on, whether in good times or bad times. We know they will never desert us.

Having people in our lives we can count on is important. Yet there are many people who will desert us. They will support us as long as it doesn’t cost them anything more than encouraging words. When it requires them to invest their time, effort, and money, they abandon us. We have someone who will never abandon us and offers us more than anyone can—Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist points to God as his savior. He states that God is his light and salvation. The imagery is of someone wandering in the darkness and God is the light that dispels the darkness so we can see. Imagine being in a pitch-black cave with no light. When a light is turned on, we can then see the pathway. The one who brings the light is our savior. Our fear of being left in the darkness is relieved and replaced with hope.

The Psalmist continues by stating God is his stronghold, meaning a fortress, shield, protector. He is not afraid because he trusts that God will protect him from evil forces. We, too, can be unafraid. We, too, can trust God as our protector. When we trust Jesus to guide us through the darkness and to protect us from evil, our fears disappear. The more we trust Jesus and see the results of doing so, the more we will trust Jesus. Trust builds upon trust, increasing our faith.

I pray we all look to Jesus as our light who guides us each day. I pray we trust Jesus to protect us from evil. I pray each one of us increases our faith as we experience the trustworthiness of Jesus. Jesus is our Light. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is our Protector. Trust in Jesus. Increase your faith.

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation; 

whom shall I fear? 

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; 

of whom shall I be afraid?