January 4, 2022 -- Psalm 37:3-4 -- Uncovering the Heart's Deepest Desire

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
   dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:3-4 ESV

This is such a plain, simple-sounding teaching. Yet, my heart is always going here or chasing after that thing. My mind is restless and struggles to be content. How can I explain the gap between the words of Scripture and the experience of my life? Perhaps that is your experience as well? Last night I was reading from a book a friend gave me. He is using this book as a wonderful evangelism tool. Listen to what Pritchard writes:

     You were made to know God. Something in you truly wants
     to know the God who created you. That desire may be hidden
     deep within, or you may feel it burning inside you at this moment.
     Perhaps you have tried to cover it up or to satisfy your longings
     with the things of this world. But that doesn’t work. You were made
     with desires that nothing in this world can satisfy. Only God can 
     fill the hole in your heart. Only God can love you
     the way you long to be loved.
Ray Pritchard, An Anchor for the Soul. Chicago, IL; Moody Publishers, 2011 reprint, page 29.

Here is the point. The moment you look for delight in something or someone other than the LORD you will be disappointed. No man, no woman, no thing can stand in the place of God as the greatest goal of your desires. When your desires and delight are all oriented toward the Living God, then you can experience His great love. From that boundless resource of blessing, given in Jesus Christ and sealed in believers by His Spirit, the believer can appropriately love others. Jesus is the well of Living Water that bubbles up within all who trust in Him. The Father in heaven and Jesus your Redeemer poured the Spirit into the heart of believers so that your heart’s desires are satisfied in Christ alone and this is the fuel which fires greater trust in the LORD and gives you the ability to do good in His Name.

King Jesus, I commit my way to You, to the glory of the Father.
I place my trust in You completely, do as You promised in this Psalm,
act and give the blessing of Your Spirit.
Fueled by such heavenly blessing, let the righteousness
   which is mine in Christ 
   shine as the light and
let the justice of Your cause, Mighty God
   radiate the reflected brilliance of Jesus,
   Who is brighter than the noonday sun,
   His radiance blazing out from my words and deeds.
Whenever I begin to feel dark or empty,
   teach me to quiet my mind and my soul before You,
   waiting patiently for You,
   until Your sure promise takes hold of me all over again:
"The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
   He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
   He delivers them from the wicked and saves them
   because they take refuge in Him."
The prayer is based on Psalm 37:5-7a and ends the quotation of verses 39-40 

https://youtu.be/uaTwx0ehbvM

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.