Will To Desire
Monday, June 29, 2020 Good morning, Lord V.O.D.: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.—Psalm 143:5-6 M.O.M.: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 Today's reading: Job 17-19 Acts 10:1-23
The Will To Desire
My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.—Psalm 143:6 Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Do you-do we, thirst for God? Sometimes I do-but sometimes I do not. Do we-do you seek God with your whole heart? Do You? I must be honest and say that that is still an idea that seems distant. Do we desire God enough to know the difference between our desires and His desires for us? Think about that one...
To use the language of Psalm 139:23-24, above, there seems to be something 'grievous' in us that keeps us from being where we need to be. Grievous means 'of something bad--very severe or serious'. So, some grievous sin is keeping us from being where we need to be? I cannot speak for you. I can however, speak for me. There are times in my life when I really seek after God and long for Him but it is not constant the way the scripture describes it. I may be the only one, but, if I am not, this sin must be addressed.
Well, all our sin is not the same, but wait-making a selfish choice-a choice driven by our sinful need to operate outside God's leadership-to be in control-whatever we call it-it is just the same lie told in the beginning: from Genesis 3:5 "...your eyes will be opened and you will be like God", satan said.
No matter how we mask it or try to smooth it over, if it is not of faith, it is sin-playing God. We are still trying to control our lives and not surrendering to God's control. How long must we fight this truth before we look up from the mud and realize we cannot do this ourselves?
Relax-be at peace. Jesus said, "My peace I give to you-not as the world gives..." My son used to say, "Step away from the Hallmark channel". (He did not like that...)
Step away from the world-step away from sin-but make sure you are not just stepping away but stepping 'toward' God.
How? Tell God that you really want to know what it is to desire Him-to thirst for Him- Confess your 'grievous way'(sin) and ask God to give you the desire that He wants you to have.
Everyday-all day...
...becasue He loves us...
Father in Heaven, Forgive me my stiff neck and hard heart. I do not thirst after You like I should. Give me the desire to desire You with my whole heart. Merciful and forgiving God, In the name of Jesus, Amen