Delight in the Lord
Recently, Ryan and I began tackling scripture memorization after reading a book written by Glenna Marshall, on the subject. A fellow pastor's wife, Glenna, stressed the importance of hiding God’s word in our hearts, so that we can call upon them at any given moment.
Whether we are wrestling with grief, anxious thoughts, or simply praising God’s goodness; the Bible is a love letter, written to aid in the fulfillment of our Christian journey.
The concept of discipleship points to the need for Christ-followers to comprehend the various attributes and characteristics of the author, God, spelled out within the text.
While this discipline of the faith is not a new one to either of us, we chose this time to memorize entire chapters of scripture. Rather than plucking out one verse, memorization of a chapter allows us to consume the verses in context, to better grasp intent.
Psalm chapter one, was our first assignment, and the tools provided within Glenna’s book were used to accommodate our varied learning styles.
Each evening before bed, we listened to the chapter together and took turns reciting what we had practiced on our own. This exercise has further rooted our faith in Christ, while simultaneously strengthening our bond with one another.
These verses sparked much conversation about the imagery and the characteristics of God that were revealed.
Essentially, within these six verses, David is laying out a warning and a promise. A path of life and death summed up by choosing righteous living versus the alternative.
In verse one, He provides explicit instructions on what to avoid to maintain a right relationship with God. Additionally, the verses describe the danger of becoming entangled with sin. We are called to guard against walking, standing, or sitting in the presence of that which draws our attentions and affections away from God.
Rather, we are instructed to delight in God’s law. The Hebrew word translated "delight" is related to a word that means "to bend." The blessed person "bends" towards God, taking pleasure in His word.
Our ability to delight in relationships with another is a natural byproduct of knowing them personally. The same is true of our relationship with God.
How do we delight in the Lord? By taking every opportunity to learn about His character.
This includes scripture reading and study, using resources to aid in our comprehension of God’s word. Hebrews 13 tells us that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
Therefore, we can conclude that the God detailed in the ancient text, is who He still is today - a personal, loving, jealous, good father who desires a relationship with His children.
Scripture outlines over one hundred instances where we are instructed to delight in the Lord.
Often, though, we approach our relationship with God based on what we gain. While blessings and eternal security are promised upon acceptance, (John 3:16, John 6:39-40, 1 John 5:13) delighting ourselves in God has very little to do with what we will receive.
For example, I fervently prayed Psalm 37:4 for years during our infertility journey.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
(Psalms 37:4 ESV)
I wholeheartedly believed the lie that because my requests were good, my prayers would eventually be answered according to my expected outcome.
However, that was not God’s plan. What He desired from me was complete surrender and total dependence upon Him.
My delight in the Lord shifted the moment I realized that His good for my life, far outweighed anything I could manufacture.
As a believer, when we delight ourselves in the Lord, our desires begin to sync with His will.
Where are you, dear reader, do you find yourself like the blessed man outlined in Psalm 1, delighting in God’s word? Or is that an area in need of growth?
May we each take a cue as David instructed and “bend toward,” and take pleasure in developing a relationship with God through his word.
1.Marshall, Glenna. Memorizing Scripture: The Basics, Blessings, and Benefits of Meditating on God's Word. 2023
