Hunger & Thirst #3

Activating Your Desire

We've identified what hungering and thirsting after righteousness means, and we've looked at our past in a new light.  Now we can move forward and start letting God fill us with his righteousness.  But what does Christ mean when he says righteousness?

Integrity
Virtue
Purity of Life
Uprightness
Correctness in Thinking, Feeling and Acting

That's a pretty amazing list.  Could anyone have lived up to that list?  One man did:

David's Righteousness

When Solomon was about to ascend to the throne, God spoke with him and gave him a promise:

And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: (1 Kings 9:4)

That's pretty close to our list.  We see that David had integrity deep down inside. He lived an upright-or honorable and honest-life. He did all that was commanded of him, which mean he was spiritually correct in his thinking, feeling and acting.  We know David wasn't perfect, but he sought the Lord for virtue and a pure heart.  This comes out in many of his Psalms.  Virtue was passed down to him from his ancestor, Ruth, the only person to be described as virtuous in the Bible.  It was grafted into him.  He had all of these traits, and thus could be described as a righteous person (1 Kings 3:6). 

Righteous ≠ Perfection

However, we know that David had his faults.  He did not act correctly when he numbered the children of Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1) or when he cut the garment of Saul (1 Samuel 24:4).  He was not virtuous or living a pure life when he committed adultery with Bathsheba(2 Samuel 11:4). He did not act honorably or with integrity when he had Uriah killed and tried to hide it(2 Samuel 11:14-17).  Yet, David knew where to turn when he made mistakes (2 Samuel 12:13)  He consistently turned back to God in repentance.  He even wrote a wonderful Psalm about his repentance. 

We see from this life that it doesn't take perfection to be righteous.  It only takes a commitment to God and a willingness to turn to Him when we make mistakes.  Most of David's life was spent in service and commitment to God.  He didn't let his mistakes and shortcomings derail him from that service and commitment and neither should we. 

The Promise That Comes With Righteous Living

When we do commit to the path of righteousness, God does have a promise for us.  It is the same promise that he gave Solomon:

Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. (1 Kings 9:5)

God will establish us and we will not fail in the calling he has placed upon are head.  It doesn't take perfection. Just desire and commitment. 


Activation:

Take the desire and appetite you have built with God the last two weeks and make a fresh commitment to serving him and living by His statutes and leading.  See how God solidifies and opens up your calling and purpose in Him as you grow in this commitment.