We Yearn For More Than the World Can Offer!

Day 13 Matthew 5:6


Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

St. Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.” We are the only ones created by God who wonder what our purpose is on earth. We ask, “What on earth am I here for?” Our hearts yearn for something more than this world can offer.  We long for heaven. We often fill this void with things that can never satisfy. The more we fill ourselves with these things, the thirstier we get. The term righteousness means, “being in a right relationship with God”. The word is also translated “just.” Throughout the Old Testament people longed for a deeper righteousness than the Law could afford. The Ten Commandments were the standard for righteousness, but though we can obey these for a while, we are bound to stumble in due time. 

We long for something deeper than just obedience. We long for a relationship with God. And this is the heart of what Jesus is describing in the kingdom.  This is why Jesus was sent from heaven to show us the “Way”. His mission was to reconcile God’s people back to Himself.  When we practice spiritual disciplines during Lent, it is not to get God’s approval, but because we already have it. Take a moment to thank God for the grace you have been given in Jesus which is your fuel for life.


Jesus, thank you for filling the deepest longing in our heart by justifying us by your righteousness alone.  Only your perfect life, death and resurrection could bring us back to the relationship with God we have always longed for. In Your name, Amen. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why are you persecuting me!"  Paul thought he was serving the Lord, but he was persecuting him b
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in
Read more