July 22 – Satisfied Longings (Psalm 112)
“The longings of the wicked will come to nothing.”
(Psalm 112:10)

IN WORD:
Most of us don’t consider ourselves wicked. Neither do we consider ourselves righteous. No, as we perceive ourselves, we fall somewhere in between. We read of magnificent promises for the full Godward life and think of ourselves as below them. And we read of the ominous warnings to the wicked and think of ourselves as above them. Yet, the Bible doesn’t give us much information about a mediocre spirituality. It is always classifying people as either godly or ungodly, good or evil, holy or profane, saved or lost. In the Word, there is no middle ground.
Maybe that’s comforting for those who are sure they aren’t wicked or alarming for those who are sure they aren’t righteous. For those of us who know our own tendency to default to the sinful nature when we’re not specifically inspired otherwise, this verse drives us toward God’s righteousness. We don’t want this promise fulfilled in our lives. We want our longings to be good ones, validated by God Himself.
How can we be sure that our longings are godly? We can examine their source. What needs do they spring from? What purpose will they fulfill? If they exist to satisfy our own insecurities and plans, we need to reconsider them. They should spring from a love of God and His Word. When they do, they will be fulfilled. God has promised.

IN DEED:
Everyone has longings. Most of them are morally neutral. The real question we should have about them is where they come from.
God has assured us in His Word that desires coming out of a self-centered, amoral heart will be utterly frustrated. They will never be fulfilled in any lasting sense, because there is a fundamental principle in this universe: God’s heart rules.
Is your heart in line with God’s? Do you love Him? Do you love His Word, His will, and His ways? Then it’s certain: Your longings will be satisfied.

“O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart.” -St. Anselm-