“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” —Matthew 5:6–7
God is waiting to satisfy our hunger for Him and puts no limitations of quantity when we seek Him. He always gives to complete satisfaction—never sending us away. He alone fills and satisfies our soul. Scripture tells us:
“I am the LORD, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’ —Psalm 81:10
God gives the same promise to us through the prophet Jeremiah:
“When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul.” —Jeremiah 29:13
It is important for each one of us to personally apply the truths we learn from God’s Word. God never intended for us to remain “as is.” Holiness and righteousness must be pursued. “Hunger” and “thirst” are appetites that occur frequently, calling for fresh satisfaction. The souls stirred by the Lord Jesus call for constant meals of righteousness as well:
Paul tells Timothy to pursue righteousness, encouraging him to conform his life to the claims of Christ, conditioning his life to a standard that is not his but God’s:
“But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses.” —1 Timothy 6:11–12
“But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” —2 Timothy 2:22
This should be a goal for us as well. We pursue righteousness when we know and apply God’s Word to our lives. Head knowledge only makes us spiritually prideful.
Jesus also tells us that the merciful are blessed. Mercy is the expression of compassion. It seeks to relieve affliction, alleviate suffering or distress, and ease the misery. When we are merciful, God shows us His mercy. Paul tells us in Colossians to clothe ourselves with compassion. We are to demonstrate God’s mercy:
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.” —Colossians 3:12–14
Become More
“Praise the LORD, O my soul! With all that is within me, praise his holy name! Praise the LORD, O my soul! Do not forget all his kind deeds! He is the one who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who delivers your life from the Pit, who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion, who satisfies your life with good things, so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.” —Psalm 103:1–5
“We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity the ignorant, and instruct them; the careless, and warn them; those who are in a state of sin, and snatch them as brands out of the burning. Indeed, a good man is merciful to his beast.” —Matthew Henry
Further Reflections
“Something happens when we come to God for His grace and mercy—something that is so radical and so amazing that it can only be described as death to our old selves. It is the overwhelming desire to please the One who has loved us with such amazing and unconditional love … I may not get better overnight; I may not be the fine, upstanding, and wonderful Christian I thought I was, but I now have a desire to please the One who loved me (and gave Himself for me). That desire is the soil in which goodness grows–not perfectly, by any means, but it does grow.” —Steve Brown“And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God, hating even the clothes stained by the flesh. Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.” —Jude 22–25