“The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.”
Blaise Pascal was brilliant. That might be an understatement as I’ve been reading about him in preparation for this short devotion. I cannot even begin to convey the depth of intelligence he displayed in his works on math, science, philosophy, and religion. All of this is in preparation to share one thought of his that has passed through the centuries. When Solomon speaks of desire, I am reminded of Pascal’s quote: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.” This is a simple quote, but not when we understand the journey and brilliance of the man who made it. It is packed with world history and theological insight that elevates its meaning to the point where entire books can be written about it. The desire of the righteous and the good it delivers is more than just an item prayed for. It’s even more than a spiritual gift. While it may include those things, Solomon’s “good” at the end of the journey is an eternity with our Creator. The righteousness he refers to came in the form of the Savior on that first Christmas morning and flows through all of time, space, and eternity. The power and beauty of the Gospel is the awareness every human has, at one point or another, of that God-shaped vacuum and the willing Savior waiting to fill it. Thankfully we do not need the brilliance of Pascal to grasp this truth. Today, receive the gift and walk into His good plans. #BeTheEdge
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4 NIV
