(Week 14/2024)
A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver [Proverbs 25v11]
Today we continue our study of the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 verse 6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”. Righteousness has two aspects – firstly, it speaks about our position and relationship with God and the importance of being right WITH God. Secondly, it speaks about living right BEFORE God. It’s a remarkable truth that God helps his children to live right – which David explains when he says in Psalm 23: “He leads me in paths of RIGHTEOUSNESS for His names sake”. How then do we get this righteousness to get right WITH God? This is very important because no man or women is righteous by nature – as we read in Romans 3v10: “There is none righteous, no, not one”. The good news, the gospel, is that we don’t need any special gifting, money, skills, etc. We simply need to believe. Romans 3v22 says: “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe”. You might well ask: “So what happens to my sin? Some more good news! That is what Jesus took care of on the cross: 2 Corinthians 5v21 reads: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God…and so ‘we will be filled”. We will be satisfied and live our lives and the next, with true meaning and purpose.
One of the famous songs by the Rolling Stones was “I can get no satisfaction”. Now, this is not just the songwriter’s dilemma, it is ALL mankind’s dilemma. It was also King Solomon’s dilemma. He devotes the whole book of Ecclesiastes to dealing with this issue and comes to the very significant and maybe unexpected conclusion that our search for the meaning and purpose of this life is actually a God-given Grace and built into our DNA. Ecclesiastes 1v13: “I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised”. Solomon then takes a hard and honest look at the meaning and purpose that he had found in his superior education and wisdom, in his royal status, in his unparalleled wealth and fame and in his unrestrained indulgence in all that is pleasurable. He makes the sobering discovery that all of it has left him unfulfilled and says “I can get no satisfaction!!” – just like the Rolling Stones. He concludes with these words: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” from Ecclesiastes 12v13. May this encourage you to find the real purpose.
Amen
Graeme Greenwood