The Right Desire

Monday, July 17, 2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Romans 1:16 New King James Version

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Memory verse: Philippians 4:8 ►Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Today's reading: PSALM 18-19 ACTS 20:17-38

The Right Desire….

Psalm 40:8- I desire to do your will, my God;

your law is within my heart.

This scripture is a destination for me—for all of us.

How do we arrive at a place where we want to do God’s will?

How do we get to a place where we have the patience to wait on God’s Spirit to move us?

When do we get up one morning and realize that our love for God is with all our hearts, souls, and minds?

The answer waits in God’s heart.

That is so frustrating--another answer from a preacher that is ‘mud’- vague and ethereal. Why can’t someone just answer the question?

If it was easy, Jesus would not have had to die. I fought with the idea of sin being so offensive to God that it demanded blood. Why should it be so? I fought with the idea of God having to give up His son on my account. Really-come on-if I had been the only one, Christ would have still died? Yes. God did that for me? Yes. God did that for all of us? Yes.

So, God did all this and much more and I am supposed to give up my heart and life and follow Him and my heart will be filled with desire to serve him and patience to wait on Him-just like that? It takes so much. But when we give our hearts to Christ, it is like no other commitment. God lets us live and love and function in a world full of sin and gives us His laws written in our hearts. His Holy Spirit is here every minute to fill our hearts and keep our minds occupied.

So do you desire to do God’s will with all your heart? Maybe not right now---but your prayer for desire can always be there and that is where we must be. We must know that God will take the desire that He has planted in our hearts and grow it into what He intends for it to be.

It sounds as if I am talking in circles and I am---God saves us because of sin….we serve because we are saved. A lot goes in between-but hang tough. God will never dessert you—no matter how tough it gets or no matter how discouraged you get.

God’s desire is for your love to be real. Make your prayer for that desire to be fulfilled in your heart.

…because He loves us…

Father in Heaven,

Forgive my weak desire and build a fire in my heart. I want to love You with all of me.

Great God of tender mercies!

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen