The Beatitudes - Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

July 20, 2025
5-DAY DEVOTIONAL

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness: Finding True Satisfaction

In a world filled with countless options promising to satisfy our deepest longings, Jesus offers a profound truth in the fourth Beatitude: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." This teaching invites us to examine what truly satisfies our souls and where we're seeking fulfillment.

What Are the Beatitudes Teaching Us?

The Beatitudes aren't just nice sayings—they describe the character and conduct of those who follow Jesus wholeheartedly. As we've explored in previous weeks:

  1. "Blessed are the poor in spirit" - Recognizing our need for God's grace
  2. "Blessed are those who mourn" - Grieving over our sin and the brokenness around us
  3. "Blessed are the meek" - Demonstrating strength under pressure through the Holy Spirit

Now we come to the fourth Beatitude about hungering and thirsting for righteousness. This isn't about casual interest—it's about desperate desire.

What Does It Mean to Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness?

Jesus uses the imagery of physical hunger and thirst intentionally. These aren't mild cravings but fundamental human needs essential for survival. About 80% of our bodies consist of fluid—we literally cannot live without water. Similarly, our souls cannot thrive without righteousness.

This hunger and thirst Jesus describes isn't a polite appetite but a desperate longing. The Greek words used (dipsao and peinao) convey intense craving. It's not "I could use a snack" but "I'm starving and will die without food."

What Are We Really Hungering For?

Our culture often suggests alternative sources of satisfaction:

  • Technology and social media - We'll spend approximately seven years of our lives on social media (about 2.5 hours daily)
  • Lifestyle pursuits - Weekend getaways, lake houses, vacations
  • Entertainment and amusement - The constant search for the next distraction
  • Money and possessions - As J.D. Rockefeller said when asked how much money is enough: "Just a little more"
  • Work and achievement - Becoming workaholics who "work our fingers to the bone"
  • Fame and recognition - Even celebrities like Lady Gaga and Deion Sanders have testified to the emptiness of fame

Mother Teresa observed that while people in India were dying of physical hunger, many in the West were dying of spiritual emptiness.

What Does Biblical Righteousness Include?

Righteousness in Scripture has multiple dimensions:

  1. Relational righteousness - Being made right with God through faith in Christ
  2. Moral righteousness - Living as God's representatives in the world
  3. Social righteousness - Seeking justice and shalom for our communities and world

The prophet Amos called for justice to "roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream" (Amos 5:24). He spoke to a society that was financially prosperous but spiritually bankrupt—drifting into idolatry, moral decline, oppression of the poor, and spiritual decay.

How Can We Cultivate Spiritual Hunger?

Are you truly hungry and thirsty for God's righteousness? Here are some symptoms to check:

  1. Do you genuinely want to live out God's kingdom values?
  2. Do you avoid things that dull your spiritual appetite?
  3. Do you practice the priority Jesus taught: "Seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33)?
  4. Do you put yourself in the way of receiving spiritual nourishment through spiritual practices?

Can you honestly say, "This is the greatest desire of my life—to know God and become like Jesus Christ"?

What Does Jesus Promise to Those Who Hunger?

Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness "will be filled." This isn't a one-time satisfaction but an ongoing filling. Just as our bodies need daily nourishment, our souls need daily spiritual food.

Jesus stood at a religious festival and shouted, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:37-38). This living water is the Holy Spirit who satisfies our deepest longings.

Life Application

This week, examine your spiritual appetite. Are you truly hungry for God, or have you been filling up on spiritual junk food? Consider these questions:

  1. What wells am I turning to for satisfaction besides Christ?
  2. In what areas of my life am I not putting God's kingdom first?
  3. How can I intentionally cultivate spiritual hunger through spiritual practices this week?
  4. Where is God calling me to pursue righteousness in my relationships, personal conduct, or community involvement?

Remember, following Christ isn't about maintaining a safe, respectable religion. It's about being zealous for God—hungry and thirsty for His righteousness to fill our lives and transform our world. As the old hymn says, "This is my Father's world... Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be one."

Don't spoil your appetite with lesser things. Come to the table God has prepared, and you will be filled.