Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for October 9th, AM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008.
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“Delight yourself in the Lord.” Psalm 37:4
The teaching of these words must seem surprising to those who have never known real godliness, but to the sincere believer they only restate a recognized and profound truth. The life of the believer is described as a “delight” in God, and therefore true religion will always overflow with happiness and joy. Anyone who doesn’t actively cultivate a relationship with God, including secular scholars who study religion as merely an intellectual pursuit or as a social curiosity, never look upon religion as a joyful thing; to them it is service, duty, or necessity, but never pleasure or delight. If they are personally involved in religion at all, it is either for personal gain or for cultural reasons only.
The thought of delight in religion is so strange to most people. No two words in their language stand further apart than “holiness” and “delight.” But believers who know Christ understand that delight and faith are so blessedly united, that the gates of hell cannot prevail to separate them. They who love God with all their hearts find that His ways are ways of joy, and all His paths are peace. Such joys, such overwhelming delights, such overflowing blessednesses, they can continurally discover in the Lord. Instead of merely serving Him out of habit, they follow Him even if all the world were to curse His holy name.
We do not revere God because of any compulsion. Our faith is no chain, and our confession of faith is no enslavement. We are not dragged to holiness, nor driven to duty. No, our piety is our pleasure, our hope is our happiness, our duty is our delight.
Delight and true religion are as united as root and flower; as indivisible as truth and certainty. They are, in fact, two precious jewels glittering side by side in a setting of gold.
“‘Tis when we taste Thy love, Our joys divinely grow, Unspeakable like those above, And heaven begins below.”
Questions: What brings you delight, and in what ways does/should the Lord bring you delight?
About this Author: http://thelife.com/experience/devotionalformen/authors/charles-spurgeon/
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July 31st, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Mt. 13:54-58, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their family.” How ironic that those who knew Jesus best found it most difficult to accept Him as the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. Perhaps it was all too good to be true and delightful, that from a small village like Nazareth could come forth the salvation of the human race. The delightful voice of God continues to speak from the most unlikely places, especially where the poor and downtrodden find their home. Though Jesus promises that we will be delighted to see His face when we look at men and women who are poor, we sometimes shy away from those very people, where the “Delight in God” is! Are we any different from the residents of Nazareth?
Francis Andrew