Desires...

This morning during my quiet time a verse from Psalm 73 just really jumped off the page at me, and I spent most of the time on that verse. I feel led to share what God spoke to my heart this morning.

Psalm 73:25-26
"Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."


Can I honestly say as the psalmist said, "And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth."? The NIV words it as "And earth has nothing I desire besides You." That is a mighty big statement, to be able to desire nothing of this world and only God. Can you say that you desire absolutely nothing, nothing more than God?

I made a list of earthly things that I desire: nice, pretty clothes, a mini-van, nice things for our home, a playground for our boys to play on out back, books, music, milkshakes from Chick-Fil-A, dinners out, nice, long vacations to places I have never been, etc (the list really could go on and on). But isn't that normal, to desire this and that, I mean, we are human and we do live on the earth.

Then I made a list of spiritual things that I desire: to have more of God's Word hidden in my heart, to be more like Jesus to my family and to the world, to be more consistent in praying through my prayer journal, to journal more consistently, to have a deeper understanding of God's Word, to be so full of the Spirit that the fruits of the Spirit are very evident in every role in my life, (this list also could go on and on.)

I realized that I do desire lots of things this world has to offer, but I also realized that the majority of the time that I am not driven by those desires. I do not spend lots of time sitting around thinking about this and that that I would like to have, and I do not want something just because others have it. You see, I can honestly say that I am content, with what I have and with who I am in Jesus. All of my needs are meet, and lots of my desires are graciously granted, not that I deserve any of them. What I think truly drives me is my desire to know God and to be known by God. The Lord is my life and I try to center my life around Him and not around this world. I learned the hard way a long time ago that the things of this world only bring you heartache, despair, and anguish. But God brings you peace, comfort, joy, love, strength, and hope! Who wouldn't want the things of God over the things of this world!!

I did a word study on the word desire, the Hebrew word is "chaphets" and it means to find pleasure in, to take delight in, to be pleased with, to have an affection for, to desire, to choose, to bend, to bow. So this week I will be examining myself, to see what it is that I take pleasure in, what delights me. Do I find lasting pleasure and delight in my Lord, my God, my Savior, or do I find fleeting and temporal pleasure and delight in the things this world has to offer? My prayer is that my desire for God would increase more and more, and that my desire for the things of this world would weaken and lessen.

So, does anyone have any thoughts you would like to share?