"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Matt 5:6 NASU

There is a famous Japanese television commercial for noodles, that says in a very strong famish-sounding voice, “Hungry, have this bowl of noodles.” Other commercials in the series have miniature cavemen shooting microscopic arrows at huge prehistoric mammoths and the like.  At the end of the commercial the Japanese noodle company says, “Hungry, have this bowl of noodles.” The idea is that if you are really hungry just have some noodles.

When people are hungry they will do whatever they can to fill their stomachs.  Some ignorant Christians even quote Proverbs 30:8,9 thinking that if they get hungry even believers would steal.  Unfortunately, they somehow forget to read verse 2 that says this is the prayer of the ignorant or stupid man. 

God wants us to be hungry but not just for physical food for our physical bodies.  He wants us to be hungry for spiritual food for our spirits.  He wants us to be hungry to develop our relationship with Him and to further the ideals of His Kingdom.  He loves everyone so much and desires to have personal relationships with every single person He has created.  That means all of us.  But what really is spiritual hunger?

Spiritual hunger is getting out of bed and spending time with Him in prayer and in His Word even when our body says sleep.  Spiritual hunger is being Spirit-led turning off the hotel room TV, grabbing the Word, and going to the lobby of the hotel to wait to meet that person God has arranged for us to meet that afternoon as they desperately need to know Jesus.  Spiritual hunger is honoring God with everything we have and using it to bring more people into His Kingdom.  Spiritual hunger is eliminating habits in our life that break our holiness and separate us from the wholeness and direction He has for us.

We have led many Japanese to the Lord in the last two years. In Japan, as in other countries, there are other nationalities living among the Japanese nationals.  One large group is ethnic Koreans.  There are many and they have been here a long time.  Recently, one mother for our childrens’ school got saved.  She is burning with God’s desire and hungry to learn his ways.  She is anxious to have Bible studies, and makes about of wanting to go have a meal with us that she learn more about God and His ways.

This is a perfect example of how we should hunger after God and His ways.  This is the way God wants us; hungry to know Him, hungry to share His love with others, and hungry to honor His Name by doing the right thing.  There is a great bonus to being hungry for righteousness (doing what is right).  You are satisfied.  Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be satisfied.  Do you want to be satisfied… get hungry.

Posted on 13 September, 2006