Our desires, a drop in the ocean of God’s desires

Photo by Harriet B.: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sea-water-wave-ocean-15469080/

When we trust God and let go, He gives us our heart’s desires

Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Psalm 37 was like a prophecy of David for the time of the disciples when Jesus walked the earth. Just think about it, here is God on earth, all-mighty and all-knowing, He could wipe out the romans that had the Jews under oppression with just a snap of His fingers but He didn’t — that wasn’t what He was on earth for.

The disciples had desires that we would even classify as righteous from a human perspective — they wanted the liberation of the Jews from the roman oppressors, they wanted justice, equality and fairness in the Jewish system and culture and they truly believed that Gods kingdom established by Jesus on earth would make that happen — and they also wanted to rule in that Kingdom

Then [Salome] the mother of Zebedee’s children [James and John] came up to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down [in respect], asked a favor of Him. 21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit [in positions of honor and authority] one on Your right and one on Your left.” Matthew 20:20–21

The disciples wanted a liberation of the Jews and even though this seemed righteous and good, however, it paled in comparison to what Jesus came to do. Jesus came for the liberation of the entire human race from the tyranny of the fallen world system enforced by Satan and his angels.

Jesus came to establish a heavenly kingdom that will rule forever in justice and righteousness and He wanted His disciples, whom he later called His friends, to be part of the bigger picture — which was basically a bigger business model compared to their business model.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

All the disciples accepted Jesus’s business model, excerpt Judas Iscariot. His rejection of God’s plan and desire for his life led Him to betray Jesus.

We all, in many micro and major ways, are betraying Jesus without even knowing it.

The Psalmist said — “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart”

I’m beginning to realise that my desires are the imperfect version of God’s desires for me. I’m limited by the temporal and the immediate situations surrounding my life, moment-to-moment. God sees the bigger and eternal picture and He has a place for me there, if I’m willing to let go and trust Him.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

When we surrender to God, He gives us the heart of Jesus which then transforms us into extraordinary people walking supernaturally on earth.

Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The disciples wanted the liberation of the Jews but God wanted the liberation of the entire human race which also included the jews. When they decided to trust God and let go, God equipped them with power on the day of pentecost and drafted them into the leadership school of the Holy Spirit, transforming them from ordinary men into extraordinary witnesses.

The disciples wanted to rule in Jerusalem within their lifetime but God was inviting them to be joint-heirs with Christ in an eternal Kingdom that will reign forever.

You can see the desires aren’t too far apart in likeness — only that God’s desires will always be the best we can ever hope to have, if we only choose to receive it.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live Deutoronomy 30:19

What desires do you have in your heart? Have you surrendered your heart to receive the heart of Jesus?

To delight yourself in the Lord means to find your identity, peace and sense of self-worth in God and His promises for you. You can start doing that by coming to accept that Gods primary purpose for you was so that He could love you, just like a Father would love his child. I wrote something about this in another blog → Our true purpose is to be loved by God