"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your
heart's desires." Psalm 37:4 NLT
The doctor said none, but he said some.
Like his father, Dad loved to eat ice cream-and did
every night before he went to bed. At a certain time, he would make his way to
the kitchen, place several large scoops in a bowl, and delight in what he loved.
Then he developed heart valve trouble. The doctor
instructed him on what he should and should not eat. On the should-not-eat list
was what he delighted in the most: ice cream. When the doctor told him to lay
off the ice cream, he said, "I've been eating ice cream all of my life, and I
don't intend to stop now."
Dad kept his word. He continued eating ice cream,
though he did cut down on the amount. Instead of a large bowl, he used a smaller
bowl. As he prepared for his second heart valve replacement-the one that would
lead to his death-he requested a popsicle, the closest thing we could get to ice
cream at the moment. And my wife and I gave him his heart's desire.
The psalmist connects delighting in the Lord with
having his heart's desires met. Evidently, he was right because Jesus later
said, "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking,
and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you"
(Matthew 7:7).
To delight in someone is to please them greatly. The
way I please God is to love Him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
All my energy will be focused toward serving Him, praising Him, and honoring Him
with my words, actions, and attitudes. This is the condition for God to give me
the desires of my heart.
When I love God with my entire being, the desires I
have will match His desires for me. God never promises to give me anything I
want. His Word instructs me on the things I should delight in, so when I ask for
something it will be for things that promote my spiritual growth and advance
God's Kingdom in this world.
The list of things I can delight in and desire are
myriad, but delighting in the Lord keeps me focused on the most important
things.
Delight in the Lord. You'll be amazed by what He does
in your life.
Prayer: Father, we take delight in You and anticipate
the things You will grant us to do Your work with.
Martin Wiles
Hodges,
South Carolina, USA
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