"Hungry"

Have you ever felt so hungry,

That you could eat a bear,

Stomach was so empty,

You felt nothing in it there.

Thought, dang, I need some groceries,

To meet that hungry need,

Don’t really care much what it is,

But how soon I can feed.

My horses often act that way,

When I pour out their grain,

It’s like they’re halfway starved to death,

And twice a day the same.

I’ve heard that there are people,

Who eat their food real slow,

Their time at the table,

Is leisurely you know.

They don’t get all their food at once,

It happens course by course,

They don’t get in a hurry,

And never try to force,

The meal to happen quickly,

Or fill their mouths too fast,

The eating is like some event,

They try to make it last.

And all that might sound better,

Then the chowing down I do,

But fill a plate with chicken-fried,

And I got news for you,

I can get the whole thing down,

In very little time,

And then ask for some seconds,

And very often find,

 Room for banana pudding,

After all the rest,

And if they top it with whipped cream,

I like it that way best.

And there we find a lesson,

The Good Book tells it true,

If we hunger for God’s righteousness,

The table’s set for you.

And there we will be satisfied,

By what He gives to eat,

Our spirits and our souls are fed,

By truth that can’t be beat.

We’ll then have godly calories,

That we go out and burn,

On helping folks find Jesus,

And from their sins to turn.

So don’t neglect the feeding,

That the Lord has planned for you,

It’s a vital part of growing,

And serving Him, it’s true.

“God blesses those who hunger and thirst or righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Mt. 5:6, NLT)

Among the attitudes that God promises to bless, according to Jesus, is hunger and thirst for what is right or righteousness. That’s why it’s sometimes translated hunger and thirst for “justice.” There is a great vacuum in postmodern, secular culture when it comes to seeing and doing what is right as biblically defined. This not only pertains to issues of morality but also mercy and compassion for others. Instead, popular culture celebrates the wrong and calls it right, while scoffing at what is right ad calling it wrong. Things have gotten pretty upside-down. But the Holy Spirit shows us the difference, and what we should be hungry for. In fact, He is the One who ultimately creates that hunger inside us. And if we cooperate with Him, it is always there even when He satisfies us, as with a tasty meal. Hunger and thirst for righteousness becomes a lifestyle attitude that changes everything, and one that we should ask God to give us, in Jesus’ name.

Lord, help us to hunger and thirst for Your righteousness, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Jason Rich, jasonrichstudios.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Jason, and God bless you.