The Pursuit

The Pursuit

Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied. MATTHEW 5:6 AMP

Depending on the perspective you seek to hold on to, life is a race, a battle, warfare. At no time can I claim a no-conflict zone, where I can just relax and be free from attacks or trials or tribulations. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise anything like that. What he promises is a clear and corresponding reaction from God to whatever action my life produces. If I seek him, he promises that I will find Him. If I draw near, he also promises He will draw near. Of course, the opposite is equally true.

Today's extract also follows the same pattern. What would it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? By human standard, hunger and thirst are natural reactions. Apart from decisions to fast or keep away from food for some time, it is suicide not to eat or drink beyond certain days. In the same vein, it would appear that it is proper to seek after satisfying that deep hunger that only God can birth in a life. Am I only after the body and its needs or am I also seeking the spiritual food that will satisfy the deep eternal longings of my soul?

And the object of the pursuit matters. We can be so caught up in activity that we miss the important. We do not pursue after just anything: riches, fame, power or privilege. As nice as all these are, those are not the focus from God's perspective. It is his righteousness that must be of the utmost importance. When I seek God and His righteousness, I seek to introduce Him to my world. I am asking Him to take charge of the things around me, and to stamp his imprint on all that my life produces. When I am conscious of this, I will watch ALL that goes in or comes out of my life.

That same conclusion: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If I seek God, I will find Him. When his righteousness is my first priority, he has promised he will satisfy me. How will this happen: no matter what goes on around me, I have the inner peace and assurance that nothing external can shake. I rest assured that even when I cannot see change as quick as I want it, I am sure He is at work, and when the right time comes, at his own choosing, things will end in praise. What more could I ask for? His time of favour is here.