The Highest Thought
John Bunyan once wrote,
“God is the only desirable good; nothing without him is worthy of our hearts. Right thoughts of God are able to ravish the heart; how much more happy is the man that has interest in God. God alone is able by himself to put the soul into a more blessed, comfortable, and happy condition than can the whole world; yes, and more than if all the created happiness of all the angels of heaven did dwell in one man’s bosom.”
Bunyan’s words stir the soul because they point us to a truth so profound that it shapes the whole of our existence: our ultimate good and greatest joy is found in God alone. A.W. Tozer echoed this in The Knowledge of the Holy when he wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Our understanding of God directs the affections of our hearts, the priorities of our lives, and the trajectory of our eternal destiny.
This is why the first commandment calls us to have no other gods before God (Exodus 20:3), and why idolatry is so vehemently condemned throughout Scripture. If God is indeed our supreme good, then anything that takes his rightful place in our hearts is a tragic substitution.
The Goodness of God
Throughout Christian history, theologians have described God as the summum bonum, the greatest good. But he isn’t merely a philosophical ideal – he’s a living, personal, loving Father who calls us into relationship with him through Jesus Christ.
Blaise Pascal captured this sentiment when he contrasted the abstract god of the philosophers with the God of Scripture: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob – not the God of the philosophers and scholars.” Jesus himself declared, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). In a world that urges us to chase fleeting pleasures, Jesus invites us to something infinitely better – the joy of knowing and treasuring God above all else.
We see this modeled in the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). While Martha was distracted with much serving, Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. Jesus commended Mary’s choice, affirming that “one thing is necessary,” and “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” If Christ himself emphasized the supreme worth of being with him, how much more should we prioritize the contemplation of God in our own lives?
The Satisfaction of the Soul
Spurgeon once said, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of a child of God is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.” There’s no higher joy than knowing the One who made us.
What would happen if we devoted ourselves to reflecting upon the goodness of God? How many journals would be filled if we simply wrote down our daily thankfulness for his work in our lives? And what if he were to open our eyes to see all the ways he’s worked for our good – ways we never even realized? Indeed, God is not only good because of what he does for us. He’s good in himself. His very nature defines goodness itself.
The Burning Heart
When Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, opening the Scriptures to them, they later reflected, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). To know God – to truly know him – is to have a heart set aflame with love and wonder. The more we reflect upon him, the more our hearts will burn with a holy passion.
Bunyan was right: “Right thoughts of God are able to ravish the heart.” If our eternal destiny is to bask in the unveiled glory of God, then there’s no greater preparation for that joy than to cultivate the contemplation of him now. Let’s set our minds on the highest thought – the goodness of our God – and allow that reality to transform our lives.
Questions for Personal Reflection
- What thoughts about God most shape your daily life and decisions?
- How can you cultivate a deeper habit of reflecting on God’s goodness?
- What distractions keep you from prioritizing time with God, and how can you reorder your life to seek him first?
Walking Points
- Spend 10 minutes each day this week meditating on an attribute of God – his holiness, love, sovereignty, or mercy. Write down how it changes your perspective.
- Take inventory of your priorities. Are there things taking the place of God in your affections? Ask him to realign your heart toward him.
Thank you for taking the time to read today’s devotional. If this has blessed you, I invite you to subscribe to my website, Walking Points, where I share more reflections on faith, theology, and the Christian life. Please consider sharing this with others who might benefit from it. May the Lord set your heart aflame with his goodness and love!
