Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
The words “hunger” and “thirst” are used in their general senses. Hunger and thirst are normal, healthy bodily mechanisms. A healthy body has those drives; this is a feature of all living beings. Jesus used these drives as the principal illustration of a true Christian’s life. Hunger and thirst indicate a strong drive to seek truth as a need. Here, truth essentially refers to God Himself. The Word of God says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). “Truth” in this text relates to teaching and quality of life—that is, God’s truth which builds a right, ideal, and proportional relationship with Him.
Thus, thirst and hunger for truth are a longing to know God more, to have a harmonious relationship with Him. God desires that everyone truly know Him so that the relationship becomes real. God is the greatest mystery of life. If someone does not know the truth, they can misunderstand God and come to know a figure who is not the God of the Bible. Therefore, we must strive to know God and manifest His character in our lives. Believers are called to reach the point where others can sense Christ’s presence through them. This begins by bringing God’s feelings to life within us at all times.
To do this, we must dare to kill off lusts, desires, ambitions, and goals regarding anything or anyone that obstructs us. The aim is to reach a deep longing to know Him and to experience the power of His resurrection. He is the living God, and nothing is more glorious than knowing Him. We must not leave room to enjoy other pleasures that shift God from the center of our lives. If there is still a gap for the world, our love for God will not be whole. Therefore, we must watch the movements of thought directed at other objects that make us desire God less.
When we are hungry and thirsty for truth, that longing may look like fanaticism. For new converts, the longing may not yet be strong. But after a long Christian journey, there should be a deepening longing for God. If a long-time Christian’s longing remains low, likely, they are still controlled by desires for many bodily things.
In John 4, the Samaritan woman sought things that were not her primary need because she did not realize it. A person’s primary need is actually God Himself. We must not desire God merely to obtain something from Him, but because, without Him, we do not know true life. Be like Mary, who chose to sit at Jesus’ feet to hear His voice. She chose the best portion that would not be taken from her. Mary was not busy with many things; the most important thing for her was to remain at the Lord’s feet, study His Word, and understand His will and plans.
What is regarded as a need, if mistaken, can actually draw someone away from fellowship with God. The world and all its deceits can seduce believers through philosophies that keep them from truly clinging to God. If someone lacks hunger and thirst for truth, they will be swept away by the love of the world. We must realize that our deepest need is only God. Therefore, understand His will and do not get carried away by worldly busyness that slackens the pursuit of truth. The wise step is to dare to choose the primary— and that one primary choice is God.