but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night. [psalm 1:2]
when you received or gave that gift a few days ago, did you feel a moment of delight? like everything else in this world, that moment fades.
our delight in Jesus Christ our savior, must be fueled by the word. because of our brokenness, we forget the Gospel, we forget our identity and we forget the first love that we once had for Jesus if we don’t return to the stream of flowing water that is the word of God. we have an embarrassment of riches–we have all of scripture available to us, but we lament the desert of distance from God as our bibles grow dusty, unopened and unmeditated upon.
this is not meant to shame you–remember, you have an enemy–and he wants you dead! Satan would love for you to feel shame and frustration at yourself, and wallow in self-condemnation. we war against the very powers of darkness when we delight in the Lord, when we pick up the Bible and open it, when we saturate in its truths ready to obey its commands then speak what we learned to our children, our spouses and our friends!
pick up your sword in obedience and go to war, let us delight in the law of the Lord!
psalm 119 is a good place to start–it is full of the delight in the Lord–
in the way of your testimonies i delight as much as in all riches. [psalm 119:14]
i will delight in your statutes; i will not forget your word. [psalm 119:16]
your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. [psalm 119:24]
lead me in the path of your commandments, for i delight in it. [psalm 119:35]
for i find my delight in your commandments, which i love. [psalm 119:47]
let your mercy come to me, that i may live; for your law is my delight. [psalm 119:77]
if your law had not been my delight, i would have perished in my affliction. [psalm 119:92]
trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. [psalm 119:143]
i long for your salvation, o LORD, and your law is my delight. [psalm 119:147]!
o gracious Father,
forgive us for delighting in earthly things, please grow our longing for your salvation and a desire for your word! be merciful, give us the ability to obey the command to meditate on the word and the heart that is soft to change, let us be conformed day by day to the image of your precious and holy son, Jesus. let us press on to know you and to delight in all of your ways!
amen
~ ce