How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2, NASB)
I have been taking lessons this summer and working to improve every aspect of my game. I have spent more time on the range hitting balls and more time putting on my family room rug than I ever have in any season. All this to get my game in order after taking most of last year off.
Last week it finally paid off. I played the best round I have played in over 18 months, and it felt great! I thought about that round for a day or two, analyzing in my mind what I did right and becoming convinced my game was finally coming together. Until the next round. But that is a story for another devotion. For now, here is my point: I delighted in that round of golf.
The thing is, there is nothing in this world that satisfies me as deeply as a word from God. Nothing.TO DELIGHT: to take great pleasure in, to experience extreme satisfaction
Obviously there is nothing wrong with getting extreme satisfaction out of a round of golf. It doesn’t last very long, but when we do something well, we should find satisfaction in anything well done. It does make me wonder, though, how often I delight in God’s Word. Truly delight. Not just reading and moving on to what is next on my to-do list, but slowing down and allowing the Holy Spirit to show me new insights into what I have just read and to be amazed at God’s words. How often do I see the connection between what I am reading and what is happening in my life and/or in the world around me and to understand it is God who is revealing it to me? With what regularity do I “take great pleasure in” the presence of God and his Word?
We read this in Hebrews 4:12: “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” When I do allow God’s Word to penetrate my inner thoughts, the end result is extreme, lasting satisfaction.
But, there are distractions. Ugh! They come in all shapes and forms, good and bad: Family celebrations, trials at work, a good round of golf, physical ailments, politics. I somehow allow them all to creep into my life and distract me from what provides me with the most satisfaction in my life. The thing is, there is nothing in this world that satisfies me as deeply as a word from God. Nothing. Somehow, though, I allow the distractions to win and that is a battle I have to fight every day; the only way to fight the battle is to do it one day at a time. Paul calls it fighting “the good fight of faith.” Jesus tells us, “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.”
So I want to encourage you to sit down, slow down, and allow God to use his Word to delight your heart. Block out the distractions and focus on him. If you need a place to read, try Psalm 1. Just take care of today.
—
Bob Kuecker
October 31, 2018
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.