I have been making my way through Isaiah lately and I am now on chapter 26. I came across a couple verses and I just was, yet again, astonished at some of the words...
"Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness." Isaiah 26:8-9
I was reading through and noticed how many times they use the word 'you' referring to God. Because of that and just the surrounding Scripture I could immediately tell that God himself was the wholehearted desire of this people! That is ALL they wanted! I compared to my own life and I was quite embarrassed. My life is nothing like these people...my heart is going in so many different directions, grabbing at so many different things. To put it bluntly, my heart is a whore to this world! I am so wrapped up in and blinded by these earthly things that I cannot see the things that God offers me! And the things he offers are a million times better than the things that I can try and muster up on my own!
Also reading through Psalms has got me thinking the same thing...
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
This Psalmist desires NOTHING on this earth except for the Creator of the Universe. I WANT THAT! I am insanely jealous of that! Portion...what do you think when you hear the word portion? I think of food. I think of a portion of food. Thanksgiving is closing in on us so lets say a turkey. I would get a portion of the turkey to eat. I am going to take a portion that satisfies my need. By saying portion they are saying again that God, and nothing else, is all they need! Not only all they need, but all the WANT.
I pray that my heart would be like these people. I pray that the only desire of my heart would be God and God alone; everything else falling in suit behind him. I plead with you, Lord, to give me that desire. Give me YOU as the ultimate desire of my heart. I know that's what I want, but I don't know if I completely understand my NEED. Father, show me my need for you. Spirit, work inside of me and change the desires of my heart from these worthless, earthly things, to you God. I desire for my soul to yearn for you and my spirit to long for you. Grant me this through your all-sufficient grace, O, God.
