7 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Esther 8:1–10:3
1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13
Psalm 37:1-11
Proverbs 21:23-24
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Psalm 37:4 (NLT): “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”
Reflections from Scripture:
I’ll never forget one of the graduation gifts I received when I finished high school. A lady at our church gave me a money clip with “Psalm 37:4” inscribed on it.
I saw that verse and the object on which it was placed and got a little excited. I thought: “If I take delight in the LORD, then He will give me my heart’s desire which is to get some money in this money clip. I’m about to begin college and I could use some money, so I’m looking forward to Him meeting that desire.”
Let’s just be honest here. Not only was I wrong in my understanding of what Psalm 37:4 meant, but I was also using the LORD as a means to an end. In my mind and heart, He wasn’t the object of my affection. Instead, He was simply the way that I could get what I truly wanted – more money to meet my needs and wants.
As I have studied Psalm 37:4, spent untold hours studying God’s Word, and learned how it plays out in real life, I have come to see that Psalm 37:4 means something entirely different.
Here’s what it means:
1. The Lord is to be delighted in. It is a command. But it is also true that a relationship with God is ultimately something that our heart was made for. Salvation is essentially God’s invitation to come closer to Him so that we can enjoy Him and satisfy our heart’s longing.
2. As we get closer to Him in fellowship, our desires change. Gradually, we become less me-centered and more Him-centered. Our desires are purified, and we find ourselves desiring what He desires.
3. When we are enjoying our God and our desires become more aligned with His desires, then the LORD is free to meet our desires because they are His desires, too.
If we are immature believers, we may feel slighted when we read the previous three points. We might think: “Oh, now I see! It’s really His desires that get met, not mine.”
However, if we have grown in our faith and are enjoying our God, Psalm 37:4 is exciting. We realize that the closer we get in our relationship with our God, the more our desires line up with His. So, when He does what He desires, our desires are met, too.
So, friend, delight yourself in the Lord. Enjoy a relationship with Him. Then, as your desires become His desires, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.
John 15:7 (NLT): “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, there is so much more to the Christian life than I am experiencing. I want to go deeper. I want to enjoy You, and I want to experience the truth of Psalm 37:4. But I cannot do this alone, Lord. I need Your grace to help me on this journey. I ask You to assist me as I dive deeper into the truth and experience of enjoying You and having my desires, that align with Your desires, met. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Matt’s Musings 