Holy Dissatisfaction

God of every blessing, I invite You to shape my soul with Your words and inspire my life through Your works. Teach me to walk in the way of blessing.

Pause and pray

Today I think about the crowds listening to Jesus preach. I can imagine their surprise and perhaps consternation as he declares his blessing on those who might normally have been overlooked or swept to the edges: The poor in spirit. Those who mourn. The meek. I wonder if his listeners were on the edge of their seats? Who is he going to bless next?

Read: Matthew 5:1-6

Author and theologian Cathy Deddo has this to say about righteousness:

‘What is righteousness? …Righteousness is having all things set right. When there is righteousness in the world then all things will be in right relationship with one another and will be living and acting according to its created purpose. To desire righteousness in ourselves is to desire that we are living in line with who we are created to be and not in rebellion against it. Jesus says here that one who is hungering for righteousness is blessed. This means that these people are those who ache to see things made right, in all places.’ *

What is my created purpose? Am I living and acting according to it or in rebellion against it - or more likely, a bit of both?

God, in the quiet I invite you to remind me of who I am and whose I am. If I’ve wandered away from your love and your good plans for me, would you set my heart and my footsteps again towards home?

Pause and pray

God, I declare blessing over all of those who ache to see things made right, in all places. For those I know who look both inside themselves and around at a hurting world and groan and yearn in holy dissatisfaction. Bless them as they hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Pause and pray

I sit in my hunger, in my dissatisfaction for a moment. I feel my longing ‘For more of God than I am experiencing right now.’ ** More experience of God in me. More evidence of God at work in the world. In this space I allow my groaning and my hunger to join the groaning of all Creation. (Romans 8:22).

Pause and pray

Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus. Meet me, meet us, meet the world in our groaning, in our emptiness, in our longing to see all things made right, in all places. I receive the blessing of hunger and the promise to be filled.

Amen.

* Cathy Deddo - Trinity Study Centre

** Ruth Haley Barton - Transforming Community Lecture Notes