Sick for God—Two2Grow, June 6
Sick for God—Two2Grow, June 6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. — Matthew 5:6 NIV
Have you ever been really sick?
I once was leading a seminar for church leaders in Africa when I drank some contaminated water. I became so sick that I could hardly stand. When we are that sick, the only thing we want is to get well. I didn’t care if someone offered me the finest food or lots of cash—all I wanted was to be healthy again. Sickness has a way of making us realize what our true priorities should be.
You might wonder what this has to do with today’s Scripture. Let me explain.
In our Western world, with all its abundance, most of us have little understanding of what true hunger and thirst really mean. Few of us have gone without food or water for any significant length of time. We think hunger means the rumbling of our stomachs when lunch is delayed. Because of this, the words of Jesus in our text lose much of their impact.
Another way to rephrase what Jesus is saying, which may help drive His point home, is this:
“Blessed are those who are sick for God, for their desire will be satisfied.”
In other words, when you come to the point where you desire God and His Kingdom as much as you desire health when you are sick, that is the point at which you will experience more of God.
Let me ask you an honest question: Is your desire for God at that level?
The move of God we long for is on the other side of becoming lovesick for Him. Can you say, as the Song of Songs says, “I am sick with love” (Song of Songs 2:5 ESV)?
God, I want to want You. Give me the gift of being sick for You. Holy Spirit, I open myself to You today. Come and set my heart on fire with a passion for Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD
Have you ever been really sick?
I once was leading a seminar for church leaders in Africa when I drank some contaminated water. I became so sick that I could hardly stand. When we are that sick, the only thing we want is to get well. I didn’t care if someone offered me the finest food or lots of cash—all I wanted was to be healthy again. Sickness has a way of making us realize what our true priorities should be.
You might wonder what this has to do with today’s Scripture. Let me explain.
In our Western world, with all its abundance, most of us have little understanding of what true hunger and thirst really mean. Few of us have gone without food or water for any significant length of time. We think hunger means the rumbling of our stomachs when lunch is delayed. Because of this, the words of Jesus in our text lose much of their impact.
Another way to rephrase what Jesus is saying, which may help drive His point home, is this:
“Blessed are those who are sick for God, for their desire will be satisfied.”
In other words, when you come to the point where you desire God and His Kingdom as much as you desire health when you are sick, that is the point at which you will experience more of God.
Let me ask you an honest question: Is your desire for God at that level?
The move of God we long for is on the other side of becoming lovesick for Him. Can you say, as the Song of Songs says, “I am sick with love” (Song of Songs 2:5 ESV)?
God, I want to want You. Give me the gift of being sick for You. Holy Spirit, I open myself to You today. Come and set my heart on fire with a passion for Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD