“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied…“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.”

Luke 6: 21,25

Hunger can be viewed in a couple of ways. First, as a noun, hunger can be described as a “feeling of discomfort or weakness from a lack of food.” Second, as a verb hunger is defined as a strong desire or craving.”

I can see how the verses above can be interpreted with either meaning, but I think Jesus is describing much more than a physical lack of food. 

He is describing the spiritual condition and hope for the person who has an appetite for the things of God. Peter described that kind of hunger that will be satisfied with the common picture of a baby craving milk –

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Peter 2:2

On the other hand, those who have no appetite for the things of God are satisfied with something else today and in the end, they will hunger for the things of God and will not be satisfied.

Do you know people who are satisfied with their status or wealth or sexual appetites that oppose God’s best for them? They are “full now” but their satisfaction will not last.

I heard someone state once, that our appetites are limited. If we satisfy ourselves temporarily with the pleasures of this life, our appetite for the things of God will diminish.

Which appetite are we feeding?