Delight

That’s Good

What are some things that you really enjoy? As you ponder the list that is forming in your head, consider the investment you are willing to make in those things or experiences. For instance, if you love a certain kind of food, you can go to restaurants that serve that food. You can also spend time learning the proper ingredients and techniques so that you can prepare your favorite meals yourself. You might even take a cooking class specializing in that type of food. You could even go to the extreme of learning to produce the necessary ingredients in your own garden or sourced from local farmers to have the freshest experience.  

What is described above is someone who is receiving a great amount of pleasure and is therefore willing to expend a great amount of effort for this experience. However this is not the kind of lazy seeking of instant gratification that is common in our comfortable western culture today. Often we think that the problem in our world is the appetite for pleasure, but actually the problem is our willingness to settle for less than what will bring the maximum amount of joy. 

The sure and clear path to our lasting and satisfying joy is the straight and narrow journey (Matthew 7:13-14) in the footsteps of our Savior and following the voice of our Good Shepherd (John 10:1-16). Imagine the sheep traversing the difficult trail around the mountain and down to the lush green meadows of the valley by the gently babbling brook. If a sheep instead turned aside to munch some weeds along the way instead of staying on the path, then soon it would be lost and in danger of ravenous wolves. This poor pathetic sheep has also missed out on the joy being experienced by the rest of the flock in the fresh field.

My point is that our real joy is found in the blessing and will of God, and it is worth pursuing that joy rather than the weeds of the world.

Diligent Study

In the 111th Psalm we are told that the works of the Lord are great and that those works are studied by all who delight in them (Psalm 111:2). Notice that the person who delights in the works of God also studies the works of God. Like the person who discovers a new favorite food and learns to make it because it is such a joy. Consider the Razorback fans right now who will seek to learn everything they can about each new recruit coming through the transfer portal. 

The reality is that we are prone to study those things about which we truly care. But does it really mean to study? The dictionary defines study as the devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge or a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation. Bible study is not something that just happens randomly but it is the purposeful setting of our hearts and minds on God’s word for the magnification of His glory and our joy! 

People with regenerate hearts and renewed minds (Romans 12:2) have an appetite and hunger for the word of God. My goal in this post is not to dictate methods or plans for how you must study the Scriptures. (I do have opinions on that also.) But I must ask you: Are the great works of God studied by you? Because the Psalmist again says that those things are studied by ALL who delight in them! All does not leave room for you or I to be in a different category. The only categories are those who do not study because they have no taste for the glorious deeds of divinity. And those who do study God and His works because they desire the delightful delicacy of His glory.

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