What the Righteous Can Desire

Read: Proverbs 10

"What the wicked fears will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted." Proverbs 10:24

Examine:

This is an absolutely amazing Proverb. There are so many truths to learn and apply. The topics vary but there is a constant contrast between the life of the righteous and the life of the unrighteous. Regardless of what happens I the short run, the life of the righteous will always prevail in the end.

Apply:

The desire of the righteous will be granted. This is not a blank check promise to have anything that I want. To understand this verse I need to keep in perspective the things the righteous can desire with full expectation that it will be granted. First, I can desire to grow deeper in my faith and hope. These desires will be granted. God promises that if I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me. If I abandon myself and put myself in a position that I am pure of heart and in complete dependency on Him I will find Him. I just have to hold on until it arrives.

Second, I can desire the favor and blessing of God for my role in God's mission. God blesses a man on His mission. He does this for a couple of reasons. One, He wants the world to see that He is real and He is good. Any blessing in my life is designed to do this. Two, He knows that I have to have some reward to sustain me. No man can continually work for nothing. He will provide what I need to stay engaged in the fight. Third, He blesses so that I can be a blessing to others. God never intends for the righteous to horde what is given.

Finally, I can desire eternal joy. This is a desire I do not dwell on enough. Life on this earth is merely a season of eternity. For all that live on earth will die. All who die on earth will awaken to the balance of their eternity. For those who die outside of Christ as their Savior and Lord; the balance of their eternity is separation from God in hell. For those who die in Christ; the balance of their eternity is perfected joy in a perfected world, in the presence of a perfect God. I am in Christ. My eternity will be my reward. There should be a joy in that that gives me personal peace, but there should also be enough joy in that desire that it should compel me to lead others to find salvation.

Pray:

Father it is really easy to forget that this is a messed up world. We are not living according to Your original design. When sin entered the world through Adam; evil tainted humanity. Evil men lurk and cause untold amounts of pain, create massive levels of fear, and consume countless souls as they pursue their desires and seek to assuage their fears. Many innocent men, women, and children suffer at the hands of evil men trying to obtain his desires or run from his fears. There are times that I watch this take place and quite honestly I get confused. I am grateful to You for reminding me that Your word makes it clear that though there may be a season when evil men seem to prosper, in the end they will fall hard.

Father I ask that You fuel the three righteous desires You have placed back at the front of my mind. Deepen my thirst to grow in my faith and hope in You. Pour out Your blessings and favor on my life as You make clear the mission You have for my days on earth. Awaken joy deep in my soul for the eternal goodness that awaits those who have accepted Your adoption through the sacrifice of Christ.