“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” Matt. 5:6 (ESV). God is pleased when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. This isn’t just judicial righteousness that we receive when we first believe; it is also lived righteousness, that is, living a godly life, a life that is truly good. And this is something that Jesus wants us to passionately pursue, that we would actually thirst for righteousness. He hopes we realize that we are parched and dry because we do not have the water of God’s righteousness. Remember, this passage is at the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in which he describes a way of life that is far beyond natural human living.
And the encouragement is that if we adopt this thirst for righteousness, then God will satisfy us; he will wine and dine us with his goodness so that we do live righteous lives. Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37 ESV). He will do this both in this age and in the age to come when we will be completely satisfied with his righteousness. So, all the effort we make to imitate Jesus’ righteousness, all the sacrifices we make to seek his grace, and all the time we spend absorbing his teachings are all worth it. And righteousness is more valuable than all the treasure, success, and status on earth.
He will make us make us righteous in this life so we will not be ashamed when Jesus returns. Consider how great our sadness will be if we are embarrassed about our lives when Jesus appears. This is why Paul prays for the Thessalonians: “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23, NIV) and “that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes” (1 Thess. 3:13, NIV). (Our future presentation before Christ and the importance of being blameless when we see him is also taught in 1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Cor. 4:14; Eph. 5:25-27; Phil. 1:10; Col. 1:21-23; 1 John 4:17; Jude 1:24.) Do you want to be glad or embarrassed when Jesus returns?
Moreover, God will reward all our good deeds for eternity. “Each will receive his wages according to his labor” (1 Cor. 3:8, ESV). Ephesians 6:8 promises: “The Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do” (NIV).
How much do you encourage yourself knowing that God will reward all your efforts to satisfy your thirst for righteousness? When temptation comes, can you remind yourself of this?
