What is your biggest desire? What are you intensely longing for? God’s
Word says in Matt. 5:6 – “Blessed/happy are those who HUNGER and
THIRST for RIGHTEOUSNESS, for they will be filled/satisfied.”
“Satisfied/fulfilled” = pleased, happy, content, comforted.
Are you fully satisfied and content in the Lord? If a person is lost in a
desert and has no water, his/her ONLY longing will be for water. Many
people are starving in the world today for lack of food – ALL they hunger
for is bread. Just so, we need to thirst for the Living waters of life which
only Jesus can give. We need to hunger for the Living Bread which is
Jesus Himself. HE is our righteousness and strength.
In the Temple, Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-3 which says, “The Spirit of
the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to
proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-
hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness
for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour [‘Favour” =
ratson in Hebrew = Christ’s grace found in salvation] and the day of
vengeance of our God, [2nd Coming of Christ] to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them: (1) a
crown of beauty instead of ashes, (2) the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and (3) a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be
called OAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, a planting of the Lord for the display of
His splendour…”
If you read and reread the above, you will notice it explains righteousness
clearly. To be an OAK of RIGHTEOUSNESS, is to be strongly rooted in
Christ and be equipped by Jehovah to live rightly and be used of God to
spread His fragrance, His beauty, His joy, His forgiveness, and His healing
to others. Verses 10+ 11 of Isaiah 61 continue – “I delight greatly in the
Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments
of salvation and arrayed me in a ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, as a
bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself
with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden
causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord makes RIGHTEOUSNESS and
praise spring up before all nations.”
We ourselves need to be filled to overflowing with righteousness. This
filling and infilling are a continuous work of the Holy Spirit. The more
righteousness we receive; the more we hunger and thirst after it! “The
righteous shall live by faith.” (Rom. 1:17) Abraham was a righteous man
of God. Abraham’s faith and obedience was counted as righteousness.
(Rom. 4:9 + Gal. 3:6)
“I don’t have a righteousness of my own,” (Phil. 3:9) but I can “pursue
righteousness, godliness and faith” (1 Tim. 6:11) in the strength of
Christ’s righteousness.” (2 Cor. 5:21) Therefore I need to “seek
righteousness and seek humility.” (Zeph. 2:3)
Thank You precious Lord and King of kings, that YOU can fill me to
overflowing with Your righteousness. Thank You for Psalm 23:3 which
says – “He [Jesus] restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of
righteousness For His name´s sake.” (Psalm 23:3) Please continue
restoring me and leading me in Your paths of righteousness forever,
Amen.
Myrtle Turunen