Delight is far deeper than “happy” and true joy flows only from its deep well. What a way to start my morning. My deep longing for delight is surely from the Lord, and He alone is the source for its full satisfaction. Christ, God in the flesh, has long been the source of my joy and His Word, the focus of my pursuit of happiness. When I allow my mind to fully engage my soul, usually early morn, I find a thirst far greater than 63 years of intellectual pursuit can provide for. This thirst can hardly be quenched by acquisition of things, for if this were the case, life might easier. I have no trouble working hard for things that satisfy.
This deep thirst for joy though enticing, seems somewhat illusive; when I am in His presence I cannot explain what overtakes my soul with words less than “ecstasy”. I cannot describe my emotions; embarrassed at times by tears that burst forth during conversation or deep laughter that may even seem inappropriate to me at times. Yet, those moments only push me even deeper into my pursuit to know Him.
I sense my language perhaps descriptive of addictive behavior, and rightfully so. My desire so deepens with each new morning, that my definition of Divine Delight seems ever expanding.
Having now circled back to Genesis in my annual read through of scriptures, I read: “In the beginning God created the heavens….” Yes, the heavens are also ever expanding. Nature mimics God and it seem that whatever God invests in expands; possibly a universal law.
My point: Delight by design is every compounding, a journey never ending.
The scripture source of today’s title, Psalm 37:4, assures that the Lord will provide for the desires of our heart, so there must be a terminus for this Delight, a remedy though perhaps not in this life. “If in this life only we have hope (are invested)…we are of all men most miserable.” (1Cor. 15:13-19).
So how does one satisfy this spiritual longing? That too may be by design, for desire drives inquiry, especially when surrounded by the phenomena of nature. This may even be the resource behind the mystery of scripture.
Man’s inquiring mind, his/her soulful search for answers, drives an Other-awareness, which then illuminates the soul. It is here that an inner conversation begins and eventually, or such has been the case with me, answers are found, that exceed our intellect. In Christian circles, this is referred to as revelation, Divine inspiration.
God talk should be a natural phenomenon for humans; at least it has been for this one. Recording those conversations possibly sets us apart from all other creatures, though Job implies differently : “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?” (Job 12:7-9).
The Canon of scripture is a mysterious collection of God conversations that have occurred for centuries, across multiple continents, weaving a story that captures our own. These scriptures reveal both the struggles and triumphs of the writers, which adds to the veracity of the larger story and for those who fully engage with the true Author, comes a voracity to know Him.
I have finally come full circle to my reason for this morning’s entry. Possibly fifty or more times through the scriptures and I have not exhausted this Book; any other book I find difficulty with a second reading! As I sat down this morning, reading from chapter one of Genesis, the margins of my Bible were suddenly filled with ink; the mystery of creation, the revelation of His Being and the Delight of our conversation began anew!