ONLY

“The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.” (Pr 11:23 AV)

The outcome of our choices is an indication if how we process our world.  What our goals truly are come out when we reap what we have sown.  Good or bad.  In the above proverb, there are only two desires.  Of the righteous, his desire is good.  Therefore, his life-direction will be to produce that good which comes of it.  Conversely, the wicked see destruction as desirable.  This may seem a bit odd, but this truth is a looking glass into the truly evil condition of the heart of man.  Whether we like to admit it or not, the rebellious side of us wants to dare God to do something about our actions.  We know what we are doing is wrong.  We know that our wrong actions will result is negative consequences.  Even harmful consequences.  Yet, we go down that road anyway.  Why?  This pattern is a warning to us to change what we desire.  What we want to hone in on this morning is one word.  ONLY

This is a all or nothing truth.  We either desire God’s goodness, or we desire God’s wrath.  One or the other.  Not in every choice, but rather, an absolute direction of life.  Take, for instance, two children of the same father.  They are both caught in the same act of disobedience.  Both chastened exactly the same.  Yet, one reacts one way while the other just the opposite.  The first responds in repentance and changes his behavior.  His demeanor is one of humility and he rises from the chastening with a new resolve to not offend his father any longer.  He immediately hops to undone chores.  The other chooses to respond in resentment.  He thinks simply because there was displeasure in this one event, this necessarily means dad can never be pleased.  He goes on his marry way doing whatever he wants knowing full well that dad will spank him again.  Eventually, he sees the spankings as vindication of his belief that dad can never be pleased.  His desire for the chastening of his father is statement of independence and superior opinion.  In short, the righteous desire to please God resulting in good.  The wicked desire to offend God which results in wrath.  This is the ONLY desire if each.  There is no middle ground.

We are bent one way or another.  Perhaps more dramatic or less dramatic than the opposite position, but we are.  Our attitude of and process towards our Father in heaven determines the life we lead.  Either we will desire ONLY good, or we will desire ONLY wrath.  The second sounds ludicrous.  But it is a fact of our dark heart.  If we desire ONLY good, then we will strive to do that which pleases God.  If we desire ONLY wrath, we will strive to do that which pleases self.  But there is no middle ground.  We are one way or the other.  ONLY one way or the other.