Desires of our Heart

I am reading through the Bible this year with a group of girl friends. We are using a reading plan that has us doing a little Old Testament, a little New Testament, some Proverbs and a Psalm every day. It does not take a lot of time, unless you procrastinate a few days and then find yourself having to read 10 chapters of Exodus and the exact measurements for the building of the Ark of the Covenant. For extra motivation, beyond the joy that comes from reading God's Word, there is a prize, a prize that involves a hotel room, sleeping in and a whole day with the girls. I wonder how many different ways we can paint our toes in just one girls getaway. In order to attend this girls getaway though you have to have completed the whole Bible, every single verse, this year, 2010. No exceptions. And since I am the rules keeper, I can't fall behind. I don't want to miss the fun.

So recently, I was catching up a bit on my reading and was struck by something I read in Psalms 37, something I have read dozens of times. I am using the Bible I used in college because it is easy on the eyes without any notes and good size type. My eyes are getting old and my little pocket Bible really does not work, at least not if I actually want to read the words. It is awfully cute though in pink and orange leather. In Psalm 37 I have verse 4 circled. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." You hear this all the time around the church, but what does it mean. Over the years I have come to the conclusion that the more we seek God, the more we walk in His ways, the more our desires will align with His. What I liked about reading Psalm 37 this time was seeing verse 4 in context.

"Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him"

Trust, Delight, Commit, Wait.

This is why I really do love reading the Bible without a study or plan beyond just reading it. I am struck anew each time I do by something that is both timely for me and eternal from God. When I am not going to the Bible with my intentions, my plans, my interpretation, but just read what is before me, God speaks clearly through His word.

Trust. Delight. Commit. Wait.

Just what I needed to hear.