HUNGRY? THIRSTY?

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July 24, 2011


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

When I finished high school, I found an emptiness within me, a hole needing to be filled.  I wasn’t sure where to go or what was missing.  Fortunately, God led me to a Gospel minister through a friend’s wedding.  In talking with him, it was like a light came on.  I realized that what was missing, what would fill the hole, and that was God.  However, this led to another hunger and thirst, a new appetite for spiritual things. In satisfying physical hunger and thirst, we must look outside ourselves.  Likewise, spiritual hunger and thirst must be satisfied from outside ourselves.  To satisfy both kinds, we must make an effort to get what we need.

When recovering from an illness, we need to strengthen our bodies, and when we first accept Jesus, we need spiritual nourishment to recover from sin.  In addition, we need spiritual food and drink to help us grow spiritually. “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:13-14).  Like a child that does not reach his full growth if he doesn’t eat what is needed by his body, so we, too, will not grow in righteousness if we cease to take in the spiritual nourishment we need.

Let me be blunt.  John’s lessons on Sunday are great.  They challenge, they encourage, and best of all, the word of God is presented.  But they are not enough!  Classes on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings are just as great.  But they are not enough! Studying together in LIFE groups is great. But that is not enough!

The Holy Spirit directed Peter to say, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (I Peter 2:2).  If you are slow to feed a baby, he will let you know in no uncertain terms that he is hungry.

How hungry, how thirsty are you?  We have instant entertainment on TV and on the Internet.  This can curb our appetite quickly.  When we adopted our son, another couple also adopted their son in the same week.  To keep him quiet, they started him on cereal long before his body could gain nourishment from it.  His stomach was full; however, his body wasn’t growing like it should.  We can be the same way.  When we digest “junk food” rather than spiritual food, our spiritual growth is stunted.

We generally eat three meals a day and snacks as well to feed our bodies.  Think on this—how many times do you feed on the word of God each day?  Just three hours a week, the time we spend in church, doesn’t give you very much of God’s word if that’s all you get..  How long will your physical body remain healthy if you eat only three times a week?  Not very long!

We are blessed when we are possessed with an ongoing desire for the righteousness of God.  The only place to find out about righteousness is from God’s word.  The more we want it, the more we receive.  Let us all continue to seek spiritual nourishment.

Read Psalm 119, the longest Psalm, and listen to what is said about desiring God’s word.

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Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for all that You provide for our needs, both physical and spiritual.  Increase our spiritual hunger and thirst so that we may continue to seek spiritual food and drink.  We know that true satisfaction comes only from You.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.          ~ Ed
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Ed Wittlif ~ Denver, Colorado                                 (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)    (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Ed Wittlif, former preacher of Albert Lea Church of Christ in Albert Lea, Minnesota, is a University Church of Chirst member.