This past 4th of July weekend, I had the opportunity to spend time at Don Pedro Island. The Gulf was warm and restless, bringing soft waves and beautiful seashells to the beachfront. I spent time walking and praying and collecting a variety of these treasures. In fact many still had sea life in them, so I found myself heroically tossing them back into the Gulf, hoping my pitching arm did the job sending them to safety.
At one point I was on the edge of the water and sat down to soak it all in. The gulf is typically still, but to my delight, the gentle waves moved in rhythmically and tossed me back and forth over and over. I found myself giggling like a little child, because no matter how hard I tried to resist and sit steadily, the next wave would come and wrestle me to a new spot on the shore.
I soaked in the warm sun, the blue sky, the blue-green water and strong, yet soft waves. In this quiet moment, I felt the presence of God and His smile as I delighted in the gift of this beauty. Psalm 37:4 (NIV) says “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” The Oxford Dictionary defines “Delight” as joy, glee, gladness, excitement or happiness. Obviously each of us delights in different things, but I do believe that true “Delight” is of the Lord and consists of purity and beauty.
That same weekend while walking on the beach with my sister, she spoke of her youngest son when he was only a few months old. Our older brother had come to visit and meet his newest nephew for the very first time. She spoke of how he lifted him firmly into the air to get a good look and this adorable nephew of mine gave out the most magnificent gurgle and giggle. Clearly my nephew was experiencing delight and his response brought delight to my brother who continued to do this exercise generating ongoing gurgles and laughs. Even as my sister shared this story 20 years later, I was amazed at how she found delight in the very memory.
We live in a world that is wrought with the impact of sin. Jesus even said that in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33). The events of the news over the past week are filled with sadness, disparity and darkness, sometimes it is hard to feel hope or delight when we consider the current events both in the world and perhaps even in our personal trials. In that same verse, John 16:33, Jesus said “But take heart, I have overcome the world.” Now more than ever, it is time to draw close to the only one that brings victory even in such harsh times.
Take delight in the Lord, what stirs your heart to delight? He beckons you to meet Him there and let Him give you the desires of your heart…..
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