C. S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity: "God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there."
God made us to be fulfilled by Him, and only those who turn their hunger to God will ever be truly satisfied. But you've got to realize what that "hunger" in your heart is for, and take it to the right person to fulfill it.
We are continuing our series Happiness in Jesus' style and the verse of today's meditation
This beatitude speaks of a very strong desire. Food and water are basic necessities. But Jesus says, so is righteousness. Our physical life depends upon food and water. Our spiritual life depends upon righteousness.
For us to really be able to understand this character quality, we must know what it means to "hunger for righteousness." The Greek word dikaiosune for righteousness basically means to be "right" with God. It was a word that was used in ancient literature to describe a person who kept the commands of God, and did the "right" things both before God and man.
The one who is "hungry for righteousness" is the person who has a hunger to get back right with God, so that there is nothing "hanging over your head" in relationship with Him. That person is "blessed", Jesus says, because his hunger will lead him to do what it takes to get "right" with God again.
There is a universal desire in humans for something beyond himself that will complete him, and make him "right". Even the renowned atheist Bertrand Russel wrote:
"The centre of me is always and eternally a terrible pain...a searching for something beyond what the world contains, something transfigured and infinite. The beatific vision - God. I do not find it, I do not think it is to be found - but the love of it is my life...It is the actual spring of life within me."
That is an amazing thing for one of history's most prominent atheists to admit: that he has a longing, a searching, for God.
This is what Jesus calls here a "hunger and thirst for righteousness", in every human heart. Unfortunately, most people seek to satisfy their spiritual hunger in the wrong way. God designed us to find our satisfaction in Him, but we have tried to fill that "gap" in our hearts with other things instead. God made us to find our satisfaction in Him, but instead we go for all kinds of "junk food" substitutes for Him.
The Innocents Abroad, is a book written by Mark Twain in which he chronicled his trip to Europe and Holy Land in a steamship cruise. In his usual style, Twain made fun of most of the passengers, people, and sights he encountered, but occasionally he was genuinely impressed by something. One of those things was the majestic Cathedral of Milan, in Italy. Of it he wrote:
"Whenever you stand in Milan or withing seven miles of Milan, it is visible and when it is visible, no other object can chain you whole attention. Leave your eyes unfettered by you will but a single instant and they will surely turn to seek it. It is the first thing you look for when you rise in the morning, and the last thing your lingering gaze rests upon at night. Surely it must be the princeliest creation that ever brain of man conceived."
Dear friends, if such a building "conceived of the brain of man" and made by human hands can, as Twain wrote, "chain your whole attention" in such a way, then I believe it is beyond any doubt the glory of God Almighty can hold our attention forever. But, for that we've got to realize that we have a hunger for it. We may be looking to satisfy it in other ways as most people do.
Dear friends, this Lenten Season can we channelize our hunger with the perfect diet which involves nothing else but God.
May the Lord help us. God Bless you.
God made us to be fulfilled by Him, and only those who turn their hunger to God will ever be truly satisfied. But you've got to realize what that "hunger" in your heart is for, and take it to the right person to fulfill it.
We are continuing our series Happiness in Jesus' style and the verse of today's meditation
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6
This beatitude speaks of a very strong desire. Food and water are basic necessities. But Jesus says, so is righteousness. Our physical life depends upon food and water. Our spiritual life depends upon righteousness.
For us to really be able to understand this character quality, we must know what it means to "hunger for righteousness." The Greek word dikaiosune for righteousness basically means to be "right" with God. It was a word that was used in ancient literature to describe a person who kept the commands of God, and did the "right" things both before God and man.
The one who is "hungry for righteousness" is the person who has a hunger to get back right with God, so that there is nothing "hanging over your head" in relationship with Him. That person is "blessed", Jesus says, because his hunger will lead him to do what it takes to get "right" with God again.
There is a universal desire in humans for something beyond himself that will complete him, and make him "right". Even the renowned atheist Bertrand Russel wrote:
"The centre of me is always and eternally a terrible pain...a searching for something beyond what the world contains, something transfigured and infinite. The beatific vision - God. I do not find it, I do not think it is to be found - but the love of it is my life...It is the actual spring of life within me."
That is an amazing thing for one of history's most prominent atheists to admit: that he has a longing, a searching, for God.
This is what Jesus calls here a "hunger and thirst for righteousness", in every human heart. Unfortunately, most people seek to satisfy their spiritual hunger in the wrong way. God designed us to find our satisfaction in Him, but we have tried to fill that "gap" in our hearts with other things instead. God made us to find our satisfaction in Him, but instead we go for all kinds of "junk food" substitutes for Him.
The Innocents Abroad, is a book written by Mark Twain in which he chronicled his trip to Europe and Holy Land in a steamship cruise. In his usual style, Twain made fun of most of the passengers, people, and sights he encountered, but occasionally he was genuinely impressed by something. One of those things was the majestic Cathedral of Milan, in Italy. Of it he wrote:
"Whenever you stand in Milan or withing seven miles of Milan, it is visible and when it is visible, no other object can chain you whole attention. Leave your eyes unfettered by you will but a single instant and they will surely turn to seek it. It is the first thing you look for when you rise in the morning, and the last thing your lingering gaze rests upon at night. Surely it must be the princeliest creation that ever brain of man conceived."
Dear friends, if such a building "conceived of the brain of man" and made by human hands can, as Twain wrote, "chain your whole attention" in such a way, then I believe it is beyond any doubt the glory of God Almighty can hold our attention forever. But, for that we've got to realize that we have a hunger for it. We may be looking to satisfy it in other ways as most people do.
Dear friends, this Lenten Season can we channelize our hunger with the perfect diet which involves nothing else but God.
May the Lord help us. God Bless you.
Profound verse to meditate - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
ReplyDeleteRighteousness being 'Right'; for being holy and divine as a our Father in heaven is Holy. When God created humans in his own image he expected all of us to be one with him like Chirst is. However the "free will" he gave us from the utmost love and compassion he has for us, made us masters of our "Selves". Being master is Good as well as Bad - the choice is ours and majority of us has failed.
Hence comes Righteousness taught by Christ to show us the "WAY" from his "TRUTH" to bring us back to "LIFE". Three aspects of Righteousness -
1. Righteousness in Action/Work (Karma) : Psalms 119 puts is completely and perfectly. Keeping precepts, statutes, commands. It also includes selfless service for one and all. Love and compassion to all.
2. Righteousness in Devotion/Faith (Bhakti) : Remembering God at all times. Praying fervently at all times. Pray incessantly as it is said for the mercies and forgiveness. Last but not the least pray in humility. How we demand things from almighty - cure me, give me success, give me this and that. And then Christ prays - "O god almighty, take this cup of suffering from me, but not my will but your will be done" !!. We are not ready to accept the will of God.
3. Righteousness in Wisdom (Jnana): Complete submission to the will of God. You are un-perturbed by any circumstance in your life whether it is happiness or sorrow. Because the ultimate truth/ goal is - "Being one with God"