וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל-יְהוָה
וְיִתֶּן-לְךָ
מִשְׁאֲלֹת לִבֶּךָ
תהילים לז:ד
"Delight yourself in HaShem;
and He will give you
the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:4
How do we delight ourselves in God?
Sometimes we navigate through the Bible as if on a treasure hunt, finding verses that lead to a particular destination. We seek parts that fit together like pieces of a puzzle to form the picture we're trying to see.
Many relate to God through religious hierarchy, content to follow trusted leaders and familiar traditions. Creeds and constructs can comfort our anxiety about the profound and mysterious.
כְּאַיָּל תַּעֲרֹג עַל-אֲפִיקֵי-מָיִם
כֵּן נַפְשִׁי תַעֲרֹג אֵלֶיךָ אֱלֹהִים
תהילים מב:ב
"As a deer yearns for streams of water, so my soul yearns for You, O God."
Psalms 42:2
God speaks to us through Word and Spirit. Our Father calls us to walk with Him and listen to His Voice as He tells about Himself, shares stories of His children, makes promises for the future, and gives guidance on how to live.
For me, Hebrew is key; this original language of Scripture connects soul with Source beyond what mind can grasp. Savoring Hebrew letters and sounds, I soak in the poetry and wisdom of the Word.
Then there's music and dance, worship and prayer, writing and fellowship, hiking and nature. I love Palm Springs, especially in warm weather. Here are some verses I wrote as lyrics for a potential song trying to express How Great Are THY Works!
the desert
the desert embraces
with expanse and heat
sand mountains sky meet
star speckled darkness
shadows in light
Source is Beyond our sight
creation of God
oasis of man
we seek to understand
star speckled darkness
shadows in light
something Beyond offers delight
water is precious
wind whispers through palms
let's listen as Spirit calls
שֶׁהֲרֵי נִסְתְּרוֹת הָאֱלֹהִים
מֵאָז מוֹסְדוֹת עוֹלָם
נִרְאוֹת לִבְרוּאָיו
עַל-יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל,
וּגְבוּרָתוֹ וֵאלֹהוּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר לְעוֹלָם,
בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לְלֹא הִצְטַדְּקוּת
אגרת שאול אל הרומים א:כ
"For God’s invisible qualities
since institution of the world
are visible to his creatures
by means of His intelligent design
and eternal power and divinity
in a way that they are without self-justification"
Romans 1:20
צֶדֶק עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ לְעוֹלָם
הֲבִינֵנִי וְאֶחְיֶה
תהילים קיט:קמד
"Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding and I will live."
Psalms 119:144
Will God give us the desires of our heart?
We sure don't always get what we want, so that can't be it. But I increasingly understand that as we connect through Word and Spirit, God writes the essence of Torah on our hearts and what we desire begins to change. Sometimes I'm struggling and often I'm thankful and always my Father is in control and cares. As faith grows, so does peace and joy in the journey.
עַל כֵּן נִחְיֶה בָּרוּחַ וְנִכָּנַע לָרוּחַ
איגרת שאול אל הגלאטים ה:כה
"Therefore we will live by the Spirit,
and we will surrender to the Spirit."
Galatians 5:25
וְדַבְּרוּ עִם עַצְמְכֶם
בְּמִזְמוֹרִים וּבְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת
וּבִזְמִירוֹת הָרוּחַ
זַמְּרוּ בִּלְבַבְכֶם לַיהוָֹה
אגרת שאול אל האפסים ה:יט
"And speak to one another
with psalms and praises
and with songs of the Spirit;
sing in your heart to HaShem."
Ephesians 5:19
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