I had a check up with my doctor last week. Three months ago she took me off of all diabetic medicines because I was having horrible digestive issues and put me in a trial period to see if could manage my diabetes with only diet and exercise. I did. My blood glucose averages (A1c) even went down. She asked me what I did to manage. I told her it wasn’t easy, 1300 calories/day, minimum of 10K steps, limiting carbs to 60 grams/day, with no more than 15 grams at one meal. (To put that in perspective, one piece of bread is usually more than 20 grams.)
She asked me to make sure I ate enough to not get hungry. I laughed and told her I am always hungry. I can eat an entire package of Double-Stuffed Oreo Cookies (not that I do that anymore) and I’m still hungry right after. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have hunger feelings all the time, no matter what I weighed or ate. She looked at me funny, then said it must be an anomaly in my brain. Yep, that me! Born with a brain that has me constantly on the prowl for more food.
Jesus said we are blessed when we hunger and thirst – not for earthly bread and drink – but for righteousness. It’s one of the Beatitudes. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” [Matt 5:6 NIV]
Righteousness. Merriam-Webster defines righteousness as “acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin.” For believers, it means being like our Savior and Lord, doing as He does, thinking as He thinks. That hunger to have more of, be more like our God should be even greater than our earthly desires and physical hungers. Just as my brain is always on the prowl for more food, our spirits should always on the prowl for more of Jesus.
Father, make me thirsty for You. Make me hungry to be filled with Your Spirit. Amen.
