Proverbs 19

I want to walk in integrity today. I want a desire for God that is informed by a true knowledge of His Word. I want a holy awareness of the life that He has for me to live here and now. I want daily bread for me and for my family, and godliness with contentment, which is great gain. I want the best relationships possible with my wife and children, and fruitfulness for all of my loved ones.

These are good desires. They require the gifts that can only come from Almighty God. This great God is perfect in holiness and justice. When He looked at mankind in Genesis 6:5, He “saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” How can I, in my poverty of spirit, with my unwise use of speech, and my blotted record of life, expect all these good gifts that I desire from such a great God?

This would be impossible without Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God. He lived and died for me. His record has become my record, and He is King.

In Jesus, the favor of the King of heaven and earth has come to sinners. That favor is not partial, but total and eternal. It is like the dew on the grass, covering every inch of my life with the grace of God.

God has seen my poverty and has made a commitment to my well-being. If others care for me in my need, He will surely pay them back. He has even taken over the management of my life, giving me the correction and discipline I need to make me the son He intends me to be. His purpose will stand forever. It is secured in the steadfast love and obedience of Jesus Christ. He has reserved for me a life without the harm of this fallen world, a life that is there for me even now in the present heavens.

Without Jesus, I have no way of understanding how God could rightly give me anything good. But in Jesus, I can ask the Lord for heavenly wisdom and He will give me the desire of my heart. I am a child of the King. I want to hear the Word of my Father and follow Jesus today. Lead on, O King eternal!