Are You Hungry for More?

Scripture_Matthew 5:6

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Greetings: Praise God for this day and for His eternal word which is a lamp unto our feet and truly a light unto our path. As we celebrate this season remembering the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we find new hope and joy because His Spirit fills the world with the spirit of giving. We remember how God gave His son Jesus to save mankind in the form of a babe. I am so blessed to walk around and see nativity scenes in people's homes, and  on display. We must not allow the world and those who have yet to believe in Christ cause us to forget why we sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Oh Holy Night, and the hallelujah chorus. Before Jesus could utter a word on earth, His Spirit sent a divine invitation to all who could hear, Come! The shepherds watching their flocks heard it, Simeon heard it, Anna heard it, and we can hear it too as we recall this beatitude today. 

Meditation:

As we recall, the term beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful. 

Jesus  pronounces a blessing upon those which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Similar to other beatitudes we discussed, when we recognize our need, we can receive from God. If we are filled, how can we know that we need more? Are you hungry today? Are you satisfied with the measure of God you have? Do you want more of Jesus, rather more of Him expressed through us? He has given us His very Spirit! Yet, we must constantly seek him and be renewed in the spirit of our mind in His presence. We must hunger and thirst after righteousness as King David, the man after God's own heart, who said in Psalm 63:1-3:

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, My flesh longeth for thee, In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, So as I have seen thee in the sanctuary Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise thee. 

God called David a man after His own heart despite his frailty and failings because he never lost the cry for Him. I am grateful for divine discontent because it keeps us seeking His presence and God promises us that those who seek Him early will find Him.
 
When we have newborns born into our family, we can't wait to see this new child! We stand in awe thinking about the future and everything we want to do with him/her. The Christmas story in Luke 1-2 tells us how the very birth of Jesus drew people near and far to see His wonder. Imagine the kind of anticipation the wise men, Simeon, and Anna had when they received a divine revelation and invitation to see King  Jesus! The angel of the Lord came upon the shepherds and told them good tidings of great joy that will be to all people in Luke 2:11-16.

v10. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
v12. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a   manger.
v13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, v14. Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will towards men.
v15. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
v16. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

They received an angelic visitation revealing the birth of Jesus, then they responded in verse 16. They made haste to get up and move towards Bethlehem. As I remind myself, sometimes we just have to get on the move. I am convinced that they had a hunger and thirst for righteousness as they were shepherds keeping their flocks. Perhaps you are in ministry doing well what the Lord has entrusted to you.  I pray that the Lord visit you and cause you to behold the glory of the God again. I pray that you will return glorifying and praising God as the shepherds we read about.

We cannot forget Simeon who was older in age. The scriptures in Luke 2:25 state that he was a devout and just man waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

v26. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
v27. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
v28. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
v29. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
v30. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

Incredible. Remember, there were no iphones, androids, or email in those days. Simeon was a devout man who sought the face of God. The Holy Spirit gave him a revelation that Jesus was on the way. The Holy Spirit led Simeon to go to the temple on the day, at the hour that Jesus was being circumcised to behold him according to the revelation that he would not die until his eyes beheld the Christ.

I am provoked and challenged to seek the Lord in the hour He can be found as we are living in trying times. We rely on so much technology, but one day it will fail. We have to rely on the one who never fails, survives every storm, and is able to communicate without buffering, without timing out in real time as he did in the days of  old, God is still the same. 

The promise of God is that if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we shall be filled. God says through the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55: (ESV)

v1.Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
v2. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.

The people were going through difficult times, probably similar to ours, and the Lord was calling them to return unto Him. Things were so bad that the people might have had to buy water. He is saying, I will quench your thirst. You've been running to and fro spending money for what never satisfies, but if you return to me, I will satisfy you completely for free.

Finally, Jesus says in John 6:51:

I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger;and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The invitation from Jesus, is simply, Come! I have all that you need, I will sustain you. I will keep you. I will satisfy your hunger, and quench your thirst. Let me be your meat and drink. Let's pray.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, how faithful you are to remind us that your heart is always beckoning us to come to you...to spend time with you, to sup with you. In the business of life, I may not have been at that place with my name on it, at your feet seeking your face. But as I return to that place with you, I am also amazed to know that you miss me too. Would you awaken me early, that I may seek you? By your Holy Spirit, quicken me that I may be attuned to your heart and be ever aware of your presence throughout the day and of others on your mind.

       Jesus, though swaddled as a babe, your very presence drew people far and wide to come and adore you. With outstretched arms on Calvary's tree, we are reminded of your great sacrifice so that whosoever will come, can come and look upon the one whom we have pierced and be saved. We love and adore you. Thank you for filling us with your goodness and clothing us in your righteousness. We ask this in Jesus' name.

Eternally yours,
Amen.

May You All Be Blessed and Expect!
Merry Christmas!