Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Psalm 22:26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him -- may your hearts live forever!
CONTENTMENT
It would be easy to take the first phrase and limit it to earthly things, and there are those who would do that, making of these words a "get rich through Christ" passage. But the context of this entire Psalm points us in a more wonderful direction and lifts us up above the earthly. For we who are the afflicted by sin and temptations turn to our Lord Jesus. Seeking His righteousness and "feeding" upon the work of our Lord we are filled to the full with that righteousness. Jesus says as much: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).
There are only two kinds of righteousness on which to feed the soul: the righteousness that is by works, and the righteousness that is by faith.
"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall sort of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:21-24, 26).
The righteousness God here demonstrates to us in Christ Jesus is the food upon which the afflicted soul feasts and is satisfied. The poor in spirit are not sent away empty but are filled -- perfectly, completely, for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
When you open the Scriptures and read, you and I are sitting down at the feast God has prepared for us and there our hungry souls are fed. With that heavenly food our hearts, our souls, live forever because Christ Jesus having died once, and then being raised from the dead, lives forever and we who are united with Christ by faith share in that life of righteousness and in eternal life yet to be revealed to us.
"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness!"
"Praise Jehovah, the God of everlasting promises fulfilled!"
