April 15
DESIRES OF RlGHTEOUS GRANTED
"The desire of the righteous shall be granted" Prov. 10:24
Because it is a righteous desire it is safe for God to grant it. It
would be neither good for the man himself, nor for society at large,
that such a promise should be made to the unrighteous. Let us keep the
Lord's commands, and He will rightfully have respect to our desires.
When righteous men are left to desire unrighteous desires, they
will not be granted to them. But then these are not their real
desires; they are their wanderings or blunders; and it is well that
they should be refused. Their gracious desires shall come before the
Lord, and He will not say them nay.
Does the Lord deny us our requests for a time? Let the promise for
today encourage us to ask again. Has He denied us altogether? We will
thank Him still, for it always was our desire that He should deny us
if He judged a denial to be best.
As to some things, we ask very boldly. Our chief desires are for
holiness, usefulness, likeness to Christ, preparedness for Heaven.
These are the desires of grace rather than of nature -- the desires of
the righteous man rather than of the mere man. God will not stint us
in these things, but will do for us exceeding abundantly. "Delight
thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine
heart." This day, my soul, ask largely!