Saturday, September 19, 2009

Delight Yourself in the Lord

"Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart". (Psalm 37:4)

What a great promise. But what does it meant to delight ourselves in the Lord? The Hebrew word for delight here is anag which means "to be soft and dainty." It also means "to be happy about" or "to make merry over" something. Those concepts flow out of the primary definition of being soft and dainty. Have I lost you yet? The etymology comes out of the concept of a woman (in Hebrew culture) becoming what a man might want in order to attract him.

Don't worry guys -- the verse doesn't meant we have to be soft and dainty. It does mean that we should be willing to become who God would have us to but also to "make merry over" and "be happy" about Him! When you are young and in love that other person becomes the biggest thing in you life! You want to please them. You want to make them happy. And you are happy to be in that relationship. How many of us enjoy relationships with morose people? Take delight in the Lord. God is good!

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)


2 comments:

John Pelham said...

I'm relieved. I did not want to be soft and dainty.I do want God to use me however. Good word!!

Rachel said...

What a great word picture of us in God's hands. hard to do though. We can be pretty stubborn and hard hearted.