D.E.S.I.R.E.
Every weekend that we are away at a HOYRA rodeo with Hannalee, we make it a point to attend the church service.
And by church I mean….gathered in a barn, around livestock, with boots and poop everywhere, an offering plate made from a feed bucket, the “choir” is made up of kids who read the lyrics from an ipad propped up on a folding chair in front of them, the “sound system” is a wobbly mic stand and their hearts are full of worship songs and memorized verses.
This is what “church” looks like sometimes for us! We make the effort to show up, because we love the Lord. It’s not always easy getting dressed in a horse trailer with 5 people, a couple of dogs and horses to worry about; but we usually make it all work.
The message is always great and speaks to our hearts during rodeo weekends. The cowgirl with the message one week was based on Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
“Desires of your heart” – goodness, that’s probably where we focus our attention when first read this verse. This sounds like God is a wishing well or a genie in a bottle—“I have a desire to be rich and famous while having a book on the NY Times Bestseller’s List!” You don’t need 3 years of seminary to know this is not really how God works! Let’s look at this verse a little deeper because you’ll be surprised that it isn’t about getting what we want…it’s about becoming who God wants!
We do have a role to play in what this verse is about tho. We are first to delight ourselves IN THE LORD! Delight yourself! Seek Him! Find yourself in Him. Focus on Him. Look for Him. First and foremost we are to find our joy in the Lord. We are to let Him fulfill us and be our satisfaction. Seek His presence and enjoy His goodness and faithfulness.
Delighting in the Lord doesn’t mean chasing our own dreams and hoping God tags along. It means learning to love Him so deeply that His dreams become ours. It means showing up for worship, even when it’s not “traditional”—even when it’s in jeans and barns.
I do know this….that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, our desires will line up with Him and His will for us. It’s like a marriage or with your own kids, when you love someone you begin to care about what they care about – like rodeoing! The same happens when we grow closer to God—our heart begins to reflect His.
Delight yourself in the Lord because you love Him…not for what He can do for you! God shapes our hearts with His Word and His presence. Then your desires that you want, will be aligned with His will for you. And, in His timing and in His way, He will give you those desires. This isn’t a promise that God will give you everything you want, it’s a promise that if you find your joy in Him…He will transform your heart. And then what you desire, what you crave and long for, will start with Him…not your heart.
Prayer Bite: Lord, teach me to delight in You. Shape my heart for what you love so that what I love isn’t selfish, but rather what reflects your goodness and will for me. May I seek you to fulfill all of the desires that are from you. Amen.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” Psalm 23:6
“I love you, O Lord, my strength.” Psalm 18:1
“Rejoice always…” 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Hi.” Proverbs 30:5
