Abba, May I Have…...?

Scripture: Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) - “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

I once suggested to a lady who lived alone that she consider getting a   “low maintenance” pet, perhaps a cat, to keep her company.  I secretly hoped that she hadn’t seen that placard in Big Lots that said, ‘Dogs have masters; cats have staff!’  She candidly responded, ‘You know, I much more prefer the IDEA of a cat than actually getting’ one—they’re so cute and cuddly-lookin’ in pictures!  This woman had made an honest assessment of her desire for a feline houseguest.

Many people, sadly, are not as honest with themselves about their desires as that dear lady was.  They’re desirous of the IDEA of a thing, moreso than its REALITY!  The God of the universe wants to help us choose wisely in the area of our desires.  In chapter 37 of Psalms, He describes how verse four is not merely a “blank check” for having our every worldly desire fulfilled.  Rather, He prioritizes our pursuit of divine eternal pleasures that cannot be shaken, regardless of what is happening in this world!  Hebrews 12:27. While Psalms 27:4 and 38:9 highlight the importance of the nature of our desires to our Lord, a careful reading of Mark 10:35-45 magnifies the seriousness of assessing our personal desires.  Both our motives and a counting of the costs involved should be honestly weighed, lest we find those desires misaligned with the BEST HE has for us!

Prayer:  Dear Abba, in Your omniscience, You know that our human desires are often fickle, short-lived, and can even be self-destructive, if unwisely and prayerlessly pursued.  Help us to restructure our desires, so as to prefer Your best for us; grant us Your grace to dispense with the rest!  Thank You, in Jesus’ name; amen!

(By Denise Diggs)