Thought for Friday, January 20th

January 20, 2012

The Desires Of Your Heart

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalms 37:3-4

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

James 4:3

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.    

   Romans 8:1-6

Quote of the Day

“Our desires always increase with our possessions.  The knowledge that something remains yet unenjoyed impairs our enjoyment of the good before us.”

-          Samuel Johnson

Today’s Thoughts and Insights

Who is there among us that does not have a desire or longing for something we would like to achieve, accomplish or have?

But I wonder, if I were to take a poll among Christians, how many would have in their top ten of desires, ‘A closer relationship with God?’

God has promised to provide the desires of our hearts, yet sadly many in the church have taken that to mean God is obligated to give us the toys, possessions, recognition and so on that we think we must have to have a full and complete life.   Not everyone stops to take into account the qualifications that He places on this promise.  He promises to provide the desires of the heart to those who delight in Him; those who seek the things of the Spirit, rather than those of the flesh; those who walk uprightly before Him. 

I contend if our delight is in the Lord and our hearts are focused on Him day and night that our desires might become less physical and more spiritual.

If we would meet God’s prerequisites, I wonder if our desires would not be more of Him; more of His power; more of His presence in our lives.

It would seem that the end of the matter is this: are our desires His or ours?  Which would be preferable and more rewarding, fulfilling and beneficial?  His of course! 

Today’s Prayer

Father, hallowed, holy, righteous are you and greatly to be praised.  Help me to delight more fully in you so that your desires for me become my desires too.  May my hearts desire be more of you!

“One of the great tragedies in life is to lose your heart’s desire.”

-          George Bernard Shaw

“Let my Lifesong sing to You”

- from ‘Lifesong’ by Casting Crowns