Delight yourself in the Lord , And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart. PSALM 37:4 AMP
Whether it is the physical or the spiritual, there are delights everywhere you look. The world has got its delights: it offers you possessions, position, privilege and power. It drives you to the heights of achievement and rewards you on its own terms. The Word of God also has its own delights: possessions not assessed on the basis of currency, power that the world cannot explain or wish away, privilege of grace that cannot be bought or earned. Yes, both have delights, but only one is fundamental and eternal. Both also have eternal consequences.
Today's extract knows that a choice must be made; you can't settle in the middle; you must commit one way or the other. The charge is to Delight yourself in the Lord. That is a deep statement. It does not assure you that you would understand what God is doing, it just says: "Delight in the Lord". It does not always promise you an easy life; it just says "Delight in the Lord". You will not always get what you want, but when your heart is focused right, your will, desires, thoughts and motives will align with God's perfect will.
The rewards of your focus are also spelt out here: He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart. Most times, we claim promises without heeding the conditions, and we struggle for clarity. It says first to delight in God, then your heart's desires are granted. It is not for you to place your needs before God, while your heart is distracted by the world. It is not for you to treat God as a spare wheel, used only in emergencies, and abandoned when all is well. He has got to be the focus.
Even when your desires are not met, can you still trust God? When nothing seems to be working, can you still hold on, trusting that God knows what he is doing? Remember, beyond the now, God is building us for the life hereafter. All his plans align with that end, and we will only do well to seek out what will bring us to that end. His time of favour is here.
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