The experts tell us that an appetite for the wrong sort of food spoils our appetite for the right sort of food. They also remind us that the wrong sort of food harms our bodies and the right sort of food helps our bodies.

In the spiritual realm, this is also true. We might paraphrase our text today, “Favoured by God are those who have an ongoing appetite to live Jesus’ way for they will be empowered to do so.” In other words, if we really want to follow the ways of God and Jesus our appetite for this will be satisfied.

The problem for most of us is that we so often lack that overriding appetite. We might have short bursts of enthusiasm but both physical and spiritual appetites are meant to be ongoing. We don’t get hungry just once every few weeks. We need food regularly. The same with following Jesus. It is to be an ongoing appetite to live for him. And so to stimulate that appetite we avoid anything that might spoil our appetite.

And this blessing also speaks of a passion for the good and the right. We may rightly oppose and speak against what is wrong, but we must never be known primarily for what we are against. Let’s never measure our devotion to Jesus by the strength of our hatred for sin and error. Let us instead be known for our passion for truth and goodness.

Blessings
David