The Desires of Your Heart

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 37:4

I had been witness to a discussion a while back about this very verse in the Bible.  It really wasn't a very good discussion, but it made me think about it for a while.  There were people in this discussion who seemed to be terribly offended by other people who took this verse at face value and believed it.   What the discussion did for me, personally, was that it prompted me to really think on God, to examine my heart and think about what this verse actually is saying.

Is it saying that if I delight myself in God that He will give me a house?  A car?  A new boat?  A million dollars? 

It could be.  I happen to believe in a loving God who is my Father.  And as a parent, I know how wonderful it is to experience the joy that comes from giving my children something they really want.  I think that God thinks that way sometimes, and I know that the day that I found this house that we are living in, that God was just as delighted for us as we were.  He was rejoicing with us and pleased with Himself for bringing us to such a place of joy.

But then I examine this verse further.  It used to be that when I read this verse, I got caught up in the idea of delighting in God.  I had no idea what that meant, and maybe I still don't fully understand, but I do know how to let myself go and delight in Him from time to time.  I know how to throw my arms out, spin in a circle and thank God for the beautiful sunny day He has provided.  I know how to praise Him and thank Him with all my heart for the goodness and mercy that He has shown others.   I do think I know how to delight.  But it's that second part that is catching me now- the desires of my heart.  What are the desires of my heart?  The REAL and true desires of my heart?

So often, I think we read the verse above and think that the desires of our heart are some of the physical or material things here on earth.  Maybe we read this verse and think that the desire of our heart is for a spouse, for children and a family.  Maybe we think the desire of our heart is to be financially secure.  Or maybe we think our desire is to travel the globe to reach out to unsaved people for Him.  All wonderful desires, but are they the true desires of our heart? 

"For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother's womb.  ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.
 ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,"  Psalm 139:13-15

He knit us together in the womb.  And when He knit us together, He placed a particular desire in our heart for Jesus, and for His love.   The more I'm thinking on this verse, the more I'm thinking that it could be as simple as that.  When we delight in God, He gives us the desires of our heart, by giving us more of Him in our lives.  My heart cries out for Him, and only He can satisfy.

"My soul yearns, even faints,
       for the courts of the LORD;
       my heart and my flesh cry out
       for the living God."  Psalm 84:2

The more we delight in Him, the more He fills our hearts with more of Him. And the more we get of Him, the closer we are to becoming like our brother Jesus.

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."  Colossians 1:27

The more we delight in Him, the more the Christ that is inside of us awakens, waiting to be revealed to those around us who need Him. Maybe the desires of my heart are actually the same as the desires of His heart.  To see the whole world choose Him.  To see a trillion souls choose life and love with a loving Father for all eternity.  And the world will know...