City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

1 “You there! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the faithful mercies shown to David.
Isaiah 55:1-3 (NASB)

Reflection

There is something about the construction of sinful man that tells him what is right and what is wrong for certain things. Look to Peter when he was confronted with the realization of who Jesus really is. “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). Or look to Adam when he is confronted with the consequences of his deeds. He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself” (Gen 3:10). In both cases, the human reaction to righteousness is to run away.  This is still true. So many would rather run away from righteousness than pay the price needed to attain it.

But according to Isaiah, it takes no money to acquire righteousness. He says “you who have no money come, buy and eat.” That seems like a good bargain. Imagine walking into the grocery store, filling your basket, and going to the counters. “Do you have any coupons,” asks the checkout girl, as she blows a bubble with her pink chewing gum.

“No,” you respond with your best voice of submission.

“Oh, well maybe you have a store credit. What’s your phone number doll?” She pulls out a yellow number 2 pencil and positions the pink eraser over the keypad. 

“I don’t think so.  I’ve never shopped here before,” you confess.

“Don’t worry. I know what to do. I get this all the time,” she explains. “Hey Marv, can you bring the card?  I’ve got another one.” Marv trundles up to the counter with a card the size of a Publishers Clearing House check. It is full of names, but the way the light hits it, you are able to see your name as clearly as anything.

“Hey, there’s my name!” you exclaim.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Sign here please. Another Kingdom Kid. We love having you guys around.”

[End scene]

Application

Pastor Ji talked about the word “blessed” referring to the idea of being aligned, and for the beatitudes, that alignment is with reference to God’s will, purpose, and kingdom.  That is to say, we need to learn how to want what God wants for us, His purpose, His will, His righteousness. If we seek those things, there is an abundant supply. But our seeking for it cannot be casual or done in indifference. God’s kingdom is for those who seek it with effort, eagerness, and yes, hunger.

There are many stories about the person that lives a struggle filled life and then finds out that they are actually from a rich or noble family. And those stories are good and wonderful.  But I think the point here is that the path to the palace is laid out before you. There is nothing that stands in your way to pursue righteousness.  It is something that you can do now. No preparation is needed. It is a store that you can enter and make purchases now. Your low life focused on possessions can end and be replaced by your high life of pursuing the completion of God’s work in you.

Prayer

Praise be to You God from whom all things flow. Praise be to You who attends all creatures here below. Praise be to You, the lover of all good things, in righteousness I praise You, my risen king. Amen.