The Heart of the Matter

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

Today, we will wrap up our meditation on Psalm 40. We'll focus our attention on verses 6-8, highlighting the heart's central position in living out the will of God.

1        I waited patiently for the LORD;

    he turned to me and heard my cry.

2        He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

    out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

    and gave me a firm place to stand.

3        He put a new song in my mouth,

    a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the LORD

    and put their trust in him.

4        Blessed is the one

    who trusts in the LORD,

who does not look to the proud,

    to those who turn aside to false gods.

5        Many, LORD my God,

    are the wonders you have done,

    the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;

    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,

    they would be too many to declare.

6        Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—

    but my ears you have opened—

    burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

7        Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—

    it is written about me in the scroll.

8        I delight to do your will, my God;

    your law is within my heart.”

9        I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;

    I do not seal my lips, LORD,

    as you know.

10      I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness

    from the great assembly.

11      Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD;

    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

12      For troubles without number surround me;

    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

    and my heart fails within me.

13      Be pleased to save me, LORD;

    come quickly, LORD, to help me.

14      May all who want to take my life

    be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin

    be turned back in disgrace.

15      May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

    be appalled at their own shame.

16      But may all who seek you

    rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who long for your saving help always say,

    “The LORD is great!”

17      But as for me, I am poor and needy;

    may the LORD think of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

    you are my God, do not delay. (Psalm 40, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

“I delight to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart” (verse 8).

Ponder that statement for a moment. Read it again. Read it again. Read it again.

Do I really “delight” to do God's will? If I'm honest, I have to admit that most of the time I don't truly “delight” to do his will. Most of the time I do God's will out of a spirit of obligation—because I feel I'm supposed to, because it's the right thing to do, because he’s God and I’m me, because I've been told to walk in obedience, etc.

But when I read verse 8—“I delight to do your will, my God”—a new revelation comes to mind.

The will of God is not meant to be something we simply do. God doesn't desire for us to simply do his will out of obligation. No, God's will is to be something we enjoy and delight in.

After all, God's will is the expression of his love. God doesn’t declare things and do things because he hates us or because he's tired of us or because he's punishing us. No, God speaks and acts and reveals his will because he loves us.

We may not always understand God's ways. Often his will is mysterious and confusing to us. Sometimes—particularly, when we're in the midst of a storm or trial—we may even think that God has forsaken us, that he's turned his back on us, that he's forgotten us. But we can and should still love to do God's will. Even in the hard times. Even when we are feeling “crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure” (2 Corinthians 1:8-11). Even when it feels like death is hanging over us (Psalm 23:4).

If—even in the hard times—our hearts are delighting in his will, then we are close to God's heart. Jesus made some incredible promises to those who delight in his will:

We are promised intimacy with Jesus and his Father. “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them’” (John 14:23).

We are promised a continual experience of God's deep and abiding love. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9-11).

Likewise, the Apostle John promises a complete experience and understanding of God's love. “If anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:5-6).

“Your law is within my heart.” God’s word is the clearest revelation of his will. When the word of God is in our hearts, then the will of God is in our hearts, and we obey him wholeheartedly. Paul wrote about this in Ephesians 6:6—“doing the will of God from your heart.” It’s possible to follow God from the will only: we can be drudges or obedient slaves, performing a duty. Or we can be children who obey out of love for our Father (1 John 5:3).

The result is that we delight in God’s will. Indeed, the heart of the matter is our heart.

POINT TO PONDER:

Because God’s will originates in his heart, we can respond to it emotionally—we can love it. Are you in touch with his will? Do you delight in it? Ask God to write his word on your heart so that you may know the will of God and obey it, willingness, joy, and wholehearted devotion.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I've currently got a song stuck in my head that's driving me crazy. Our daughter, Abigail, loves Elmo. Throughout the day, she repeatedly implores me to let her sit in my lap and watch Elmo on the Internet. Finding myself unable to resist the batting of her eyes, I acquiesce to her demands. Needless to say, I've become more familiar with Elmo songs than I ever imagined. Adam Sandler's song about Elmo is currently repeating itself over and over in my mind. I need help. Please pray for my deliverance.