Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD
[In one sense, this is an easy command to obey–if we are willing. There is so much in you to delight in, Lord. You are the loving and gracious One, full of kindness, goodness and thoughtfulness. You are richly generous, wisely firm, powerfully active and eternally faithful.
You are the good Shepherd, leading us wisely and well; you are the mighty Warrior, powerfully protecting us from the enemy; you are the holy Hater of sin, moving to eliminate it from the universe; you are the majestic Savior, providing a door of escape in the wall of condemnation; and you are the gracious Giver of righteousness, sharing your purity with those who will accept it.
You created all, own all, provide all that is good. You are all-present, all-seeing, all-knowing. You are always with us, shielding us from true harm, leading us through deserts and dark valleys, bringing us out into wide pastures. You provide all the grace, refuge and wisdom we need. You love beauty, and share it with us in the beautiful universe you created.
You are the Creator, the Sustainer and the Ender of all. You are the Savior, the Sanctifier, the Shepherd of all your sheep. You are the wise One, the wonderful One, the winning One. You love the sinner and therefore performed the impossible by keeping your law while making a way to redeem us criminals.
You live outside of time, so you know the future. You are never late, always know exactly how to help and give us far more than we need. You give us a continual string of “God sightings:” providing, protecting and helping us just when we need it. You thereby deepen our understanding of your love and develop our faith–if we are just willing to notice your often subtle work.
You are the King, the Ruler, the Sovereign, our Lord. You are worthy of worship, praise, glory and honor. To delight in you is not hard! Help us to actively do that through this day, thinking on your wonders, giving you honor, bringing joy to you–and us–while deepening our first love for you.
