Appetite for Righteousness

 “Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation)  are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God),  for they shall be completely satisfied!” [Isaiah 55:1,2]

—Matthew 5:6

I love seafood! I could eat it every week.  My favorites are fish and shrimp—blackened or deep-fried catfish, grilled shrimp or shrimp scampi with a side of dirty rice and a small bowl of cole slaw. 

There’s this certain seafood restaurant I really like going to because they serve up giant platters.  I eat and eat and still have enough for a doggie bag. Wow! The thought excites my taste buds.  Funny! I can’t recall when my appetite for seafood peaked to this degree. Perhaps I’ll never remember but what I do know is when the cravings hit me I must eat until I’m completely satisfied.

The same is true with the spiritual appetite. If we crave or thirst for uprightness and to be in right standing with God, we can enjoy His favor and salvation by feeding our spirit man with His Word and prayer.  Developing an appetite for righteousness starts at home in your private devotion. Once we develop an appetite for spiritual food we are not satisfied with eating snacks.  Snacks will never satisfy our hunger.

The reason some Christians don’t have an appetite for righteousness is because they have not developed a taste for what’s really nutritious.  They enjoy eating snacks and junk food, which only satisfy their cravings for a very short period of time.  Being a “snack” junkie is a characteristic of a child’s appetite. Children have to be trained to eat healthy while they’re young.  We must feed them nutritious food so that it becomes habitual.

Perhaps you know adults who still dislike vegetables from their childhood. They never acquired a taste for them.  And because they would spit them out religiously during feeding time, the parents gave up and stop trying.  Consequently, the child grew into adulthood with poor eating habits.

When your diet consists of primarily junk food, you lack the necessary nutrients to become strong, healthy, and vibrant.  Your brain becomes a twinkie stuffed with puffy whipped cream. You get the picture. In essence, you’re at a higher risk for sickness and disease when you don’t eat healthy. So it is with your spiritual diet. When you have an appetite for righteousness, and eat poorly, your are spiritually malnourished.  You become spiritually unfit to handle the challenges of life.

Surprisingly, many Christians would rather be prosperous in one particular area.  Of course, I want it all—naturally and spiritually— in every aspect of my life.  In fact, John’s prayer recorded in his third letter to Gaius was that Gaius would prosper in all things and be in health, just as his soul prospers.  This lets us know that God desires for us to be well, and do well in every way as we journey through life. In other words, He desires that we “succeed in reaching our goals, potential and purpose.  As we succeed in our (soul) spiritual journey of faith, we should expect to succeed in every aspect of life. This is God’s desire for His children.  Of course, this requires us being discipline and responsible. 

For example, we should eat a spiritual balanced meal daily, get proper exercise.  Truth is, we need more than one (1) good meal a week (on Sunday). Our appetite should be for righteousness, which will satisfy the soul.  If the soul is completely satisfied then we are able to control the lustful appetite of our flesh (sin nature). 

If we seek to satisfy our carnal nature more than our spirit man, we cannot please God; therefore, we become weak, and defenseless against Satan’s attacks.  Most of all, we become hostile to God because our “twinkie” mind is controlled by carnal thoughts (Ref. Romans 8:5-8). Being hostile to God is a danger zone. 

I encourage you to change your eating habits.  Acquire an appetite righteousness and right standing with God.  Eat a daily serving of the Word of God.  Come into His Presence and let the pure water of the Word wash you clean.  If you enjoy the spiritual food you will be blessed, fortunate, happy, and spiritually prosperous; you will certainly be satisfied. 

Dearly beloved, as much as I love seafood, my appetite for the righteousness of God is greater.  What about you?

Come back to The Reading Room soon to read "Thirst for Righteousness"

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