Love's The Only House: Delightful!!

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Love's The Only House

The purpose of my web log is to be a connection to my children, extended family and friends. However, all are welcome! Verse of the year: Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Delightful!!

My best friend Lisa just informed me that she needs help painting her house next weekend. I can't think of very many things I enjoy more than painting. (I'm trying very hard not to use exclamation points.)

I don't know what it is about painting that I delight in so much. I love to feel the bristles of the brand new paintbrush, lay the preparation tape just in the perfect spot, see the first dramatic roll of paint go on the wall... It's all just so wonderful. And the finished product is always so inspiring. Clean, fresh, lively and new.

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Lisa gave me a pretty mug for my birthday. On it there's a verse. Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

I thought on that quite a bit last week. What is "delight?" Delight... Before I looked it up, I defined it as being drawn to something you extremely enjoy out of adoration. Webster.com defines it as:

1 : a high degree of gratification : Joy; also : extreme satisfaction
2 : something that gives great pleasure

Do I delight myself in the Lord? There are some things I delight in that I can name right off. Painting is one, music is another. I'm drawn to both of those for all the happy feelings of pleasure I get from them. Thinking of what it must be like to be a grandmother brings me enormous delight. Do I think and act the same way toward the Lord?

I know for a fact that I delight in some things that are sin. Sometimes I get angry at someone and think it would just be nice if they received justice one day. I would delight in seeing that person get justice after wronging me. That is sin, but I am drawn in nonetheless. Other wanderings of my heart and mind into revengeful and other sinful playgrounds... Learning about this word 'delight' has helped me be able to fight that on a new front.

When I find myself delighting in something, good or bad, I try to pinpoint the motivation, the feelings, the attitude. What brought me here? What did I do to seek it out? What did I change in order to make it happen? Now, how can I learn from all those things and teach myself to delight in the Lord? I have asked the Holy Spirit for help to teach me these things.

Then I think of the promise of that verse. After I learn to delight myself in the Lord... what happens? "He shall give you the desires of your heart."

I considered how the principle works now, as I see it in my current situation. I delight in painting. One time Lisa saw me delight in painting, so she asked me to help her paint! WONDERFUL!!! Then I painted with her and had more fun than a person should be allowed to have! (ok... go easy on the exclamation points...) Anyway... What did I get when I delighted in painting? I got to paint even more. Painting, strangely enough, is not just something I delight in... but it's also one of the desires of my heart.

I wonder if, when I delight myself in relationship with the Lord... will one of the desires of my heart come to be to have a deeper relationship with the Lord? Then, when I delight myself in him, will he then reward me with that desire of my heart? I'm wondering if the desires of my heart will change when the focus of my delight changes.

As much as I delight in those bad things, they just bring ugliness into my life. Does the principle hold true with bad things? Will the satisfaction of vengeance bring more need for vengeance?

But God? He wants only good things for me - all the time, every time. Christ, the delight and desire of my heart, and only blessings from him to follow; the benefits of that are so much more than good music and the joy of painting. Why are our spiritual sensors so dulled? I want to be compulsively, unabatedly drawn to him.

Labels: Fatih, Kim

posted by Kim Coreson @ 1:18 PM

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