"Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled."
In that post, I tied kingdom justice to kingdom
righteousness. The impact we have on the world has a lot to do with that
for which we genuinely hunger. Jesus suggests that the true disciple is hungry
for “righteousness”, but what is that? It is not the legalism of the Pharisee
that draws many boundaries not in an effort to draw near to God in love, but
actually in looking for what it can get away with. Pharisaic righteousness
defines what things are God's and what things are ours. The righteousness the
disciple seeks is greater than that, for it is not so much a behavioral
standard to which we attempt to adhere, as it is a loving relationship to which
we respond. The true disciple's hunger, their one controlling desire, their
burning passion, is to be pleasing to and in the presence of their
loving Savior and King. The cry of the psalmist continues to echo through the
millennia, from caves and cathedrals, camp meetings, and church services...
One thing have I asked of the Lord,that will I seek after:that I may dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life,to gaze upon the beauty of the Lordand to inquire in his temple.For he will hide me in his shelterin the day of trouble;he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;he will lift me high upon a rock…You have said, “Seek my face.”My heart says to you,“Your face, Lord, do I seek.” (Psalm 27:4-5, 8)
This passage speaks not so much about living in a cool
building 24/7 as it does about desiring the abiding presence of God in their
life. From this relational center, flows a fountain of divine compassion and
advocacy that brings the disciple alongside those who bear the burden of a
fallen world’s injustice to bring healing. Ezekiel used just such imagery in
prophetically describing the effects of kingdom righteousness (47:1-12).
One thing I have noticed is that if we relationally seek the
presence of God then not only will we find him, but he will begin to rub off on us. His desires will become our desires, and his way of working will become more our way of working. So what is it that God
wants; what is it he seeks? In Isaiah 5:1-7 the Lord goes looking in his vineyard (Israel/Judah) for
“good fruit” (justice/righteousness) but only found a riotous outcry and
bloodshed. If our desire is to live consciously in the presence of God then we
will long to see the justice of grace at work in the world. If we want to be
with the self-giving, self-humbling, Trinitarian God, then we will become more meek
and more committed to advocating for the glory and honor of others than we are
about seeking our own.
Psalm 27 is partly a psalm of confidence (in the Lord) and
partly a personal lament (prayer request). When seeking the Lord is our
priority then we can be confident no matter what army we face because we will
have seen the faithfulness of the Lord at work in our lives. If we choose to
abide in Christ, in his love, and his words abide in us (John 15:1-17) then
Jesus says to us,
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that
whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16)
Isn’t this the answer to the psalmist’s prayer? Doesn’t it bring us to the same exclamation that we will observe the work of God in the world and give us the confident determination to wait for it and be part of it?
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14)
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14)
Will you join me?