Читать книгу Date with Destiny Devotional - Joseph W. Walker III - Страница 8

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

—Psalm 37:4 KJV

This is one of the most misinterpreted scriptures. Most believers use this scripture to pray for or justify their natural (and sometimes carnal) desires. But this passage suggests that as we delight (be pliable, glory) in the Lord, God fuses our will with His will. The end result is that our desires become the Father's desires.

When thinking about your relationship, "desire" is a common word. It is God's intent that our desire for Him should exceed any human desire we have. When we delight ourselves in Him, we commit to spending quality time with Him. We worship and study His Word because doing so is important in our lives. This is why it is essential to connect in relationship with someone who shares these same passions.

It can be frustrating to try to force a relationship with Christ on someone because it's important to you. A relationship should be organic. It should be a delight to the couple. When we delight in Him, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts. When our hearts are pure, our desires will be as well. "Desire" means to earnestlylong for the possession of some object. It is a state-of-being life. Desire is the product of association. God has set the criteria for our desires. God will give you only those things that are in line with His Word.

I remember making a list of the desires of my heart. I must admit that a feeling of guilt quickly overwhelmed me, because I thought I was being selfish. God reminded me that it was okay to have desires as long as my first commitment was to Him. You may have made a list of what you desire in a relationship. It's okay to do so, but you cannot expect God to deliver on it unless you have first totally committed yourself to Him.

A relationship with God is reciprocal. It cannot be unilateral. You have to do your part. Your commitment to God cannot be constrained. It cannot be forced. This kind of commitment lacks sincerity and has questionable motives. Your commitment cannot be casual either, based on fickle emotions. That kind of commitment is based only on how you feel. What happens when you don't feel like being committed? Your commitment level will diminish. God wants commitment with conviction. You are committed because you fundamentally believe that God is the best thing that ever happened to you. You love Him and want the world to know.

LET'S PRAY Dear Father, help us delight in You so that we may better delight in each other. Give us the kind of love that only You can give; in Jesus' name. Amen.