Do I Hunger & Thirst?

Do I Hunger & Thirst?
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:6

I hunger because I have the realization of a physical need. My body in some fashion will let me know there is a problem. We call them hunger pangs. I may have never truly gone hungry in my life as some have, I am blessed, yet have I have hungered. When I get hungry I start thinking about past meals. Favorite foods and deserts! My wife’s fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, or her beef manhattans with mashed potatoes and gravy. (I think I might like mashed potatoes and gravy;) I think of baby back ribs and French fries, or steak and potato. I don’t really think of salad much or you might say I don’t think much of salad. I love to reminisce of meals past and how they tasted and satisfied. Now once I wipe the drool off my mouth, I then take action. I will on purpose, provide and prepare myself a meal. It may be that I procure the items to cook and make myself a meal, seasoned to my liking, and cooked my way. Or I will ask my wife to prepare something for me, which she knows exactly how I like the things she makes for me. Or I may just go somewhere and get something someone else has prepared. No matter the course, an action is taken to fill my belly. I get filled because I want to be.

There is no difference spiritually speaking. If I hunger & thirst for righteousness, my spirit in some fashion will let me know of my need. We call it conviction of the spirit. It is usually very faint for most of us. Did you know that those people in areas of dearth that suffer from starvation don’t know hunger pangs the way you and I do. Their appetite has been starved and silenced for the most part, so when their body starts to cry out for food, they’ve learned to ignore it and go on. Sadly, this is the way most of us Christians are about our spiritual “hunger pangs”. We are in a spiritual dearth and have learned to starve and silence the spirit’s convicting us to draw closer to our Holy Righteous God. It’s not very often that we take action when convicted and on purpose prepare a spiritual meal. Most of us are unwilling to take the necessary steps required to get something from God’s Table. We don’t want to put forth the effort to pray with a broken and contrite heart (hunger) and seek God to fill us with His goodness. If we allowed Him to, the Holy Spirit might bring to remembrance some past spiritual meals that have been more than satisfying! The problem is, we have far too few memories to look back on. If we desire to be filled with righteousness, we will do what is necessary to be fed. If I get filled, it will only be because I want to be.
Pastor Larry Hof

Here is a song for today!
https://youtu.be/Q9ZkmMH7Ipk