"Early Delight"

"Early Delight"     

    Ms. Becky has for many years attended services at one of the retirement communities where we minister.  She's in her 90s, enjoys good health, both mentally and physically, and is a joy to be with each week.  She misses her husband Joe, who long ago went to be with the Lord, but she walks with the Lord in His peace and strength.

    Yesterday, after I shared a message about God's delight in our prayers - a familiar theme in these devotionals - Ms. Becky approached me.  "Glen, each morning when I wake up, I thank the Lord for the rest He's provided.  I then ask Him for strength in the new day, and also that His sweet Holy Spirit will work in my heart so that He will be pleased when I come to be with Him in Heaven."  Her words touched my heart deeply, as I'm sure they now do yours.  Thanksgiving.  Request for grace.  Devotion to God's pleasure.  These are fine components of a prayer to begin the day, and in gratitude for Ms. Becky, I began this day echoing her offering of gratitude, supplication, and consecration.

    "O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee" (Psalm 63:1).

    I have no doubt that Ms. Becky's prayer finds a comfortable place in the truth that "the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).  What a wonder, that we possess  capacity to elicit joy in our Heavenly Father's heart as we seek and commune with Him.  Often when I awake to the new day, I don't feel particularly spiritual, holy, or devoted.  I don't always experience great inclination to pray, as much as I need to do so.  However, when I remember that how I feel is not really the issue, a different sensibility arises within my heart.  "What if I can bless the heart of God by approaching the throne of grace at the outset of this day?  And as it continues and ends?  What if I can please Him, and amazingly, even bring literal "delight" to His heart?"  When that rhetorical inquiry becomes the awareness of reality, it is not long before we kneel to offer praises, thanksgivings, requests, and communion with the Life of our lives.  The next time that happens in your heart and mine, let us lift our heads for a moment and look to the right, or perhaps to the left.  There we will see Ms. Becky joining us at the Throne of grace as the day begins.  She'll be with us, bringing delight to her Father's heart, glory to His name, and a beautiful example to us of the aforementioned gratitude, supplication, and consecration.  Indeed, she knows her Lord, and like David, she seeks Him early, and she delights Him early.  

"The Lord taketh pleasure in His people."

(Psalm 149:4)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for Thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

(Psalm 31:3)