What if God took you aside to have a little heart to heart chat and in that time together, He requested you in a fully honest and open way, let Him know what was your heart’s desire above all things, what would you say?
First of all know that you don’t have to dream of such a scenario, the Bible is very clear that God is far more interested in our interests than that for which we give Him credit. Secondly, even though God tells us to make our requests known to Him and to cast all of our care upon Him for He cares for us, He knows what we would say before we even say it. Nevertheless, by the way, He still calls upon us to pray and to let Him know all which concerns us. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit, Who is sent from the Father and the Son to us is our helper, guide, and comforter actually leads us as He teaches us to grow in our desires so that our desires are that of God, Himself.
As we consider our heart’s desire consider the following promise from God:
Psalm 37:4 (ESV) — 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
What is your heart’s desire?
Now some would make us think God is giving us carte blanche to come up with anything in the world and just name it and claim it. But that is too small when it comes to the things of God. Why should you tie yourself to your imaginations, which are not only small compared to God’s purpose and design, but also exceedingly corrupt?
Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) — 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Ephesians 3:14–21 (ESV) — 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
What then are we to do? Go back to the context in and consider Psalm 37.
Psalm 37:1–7 (ESV) — 1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
What is the heart’s desire of the Psalmist and how did his present circumstances provide an understanding of the scenario in which the promise is inspirted?
- His desire was to be vindicated. God reminds the psalmist that He has complete control over those who would do him harm so there is no reason to fret.
- His desire was to be blessed by God. God reminds the psalmist to be concerned with trusting Him and doing the right thing and He, God, will take care of the rest in providing what the psalmist needs and taking care of the apparent enemies.
The bottom line is in verse 4 as God reminds the psalmist to delight himself in the Lord and God will give him his heart’s desire. It is kind of like the reminder God gives about enjoying the Sabbath. God says when you set out to enjoy His day, then you will find enjoyment from Him.
Isaiah 58:13–14 (ESV) — 13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; 14 then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Likewise, when we set out and seek out a greater desire to know the Lord Jesus Christ, honor Him, worship Him, and commune with Him, then we receive the desire of our heart.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ the utmost of your heart’s desire? Good news, when you enter into worship with that attitude, who do you think will be blessed with a fresh sense of His presence.
Stop and think about how much you desire Him. How much time do you seek to commune with Him? How do you treat His word – both the reading and preaching of the word? How is your prayer life? How do you treat His bride, the church? How often do you ask God for a greater desire to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ?
If He is not really your heart’s desire, then what is? Anything other than Him will fade, but He will grow brighter and brighter as you take in more of Him. No wonder Paul wrote the following:
Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV) — 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Heart to heart Paul’s heart’s desire from God reflected God’s heart desire for Paul. What do you think was the outcome?
Psalm 37:4 (ESV) — 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker
