Delight in God and He gives good desires…

These days are full. We just bought a house. We like the one we’ve lived in but at our age, we decided to move while we can, not when we have to. The house is one of 66 bungalows, all different, surrounding a 3-4 level retirement facility so when we cannot manage our lives, we just move across the street.

The new home needs a few changes, mostly flooring from carpet to no carpet, and better lighting. Yesterday we spent the day searching our options for other things and came home tired. Then we got a call from someone who challenged our way of doing things. He thought we were not doing enough research, but was not aware that our ‘research’ was done on our knees.

Earlier we put a deposit on another place and God made it clear: “Do not buy that house!” However, this one was given His direction from start to finish. Flooring, and other choices came easy after prayer and understanding His will on all matters. For that reason, the challenge to our ‘research’ was somewhat of a test. Will we trust God, or do we need to spend hundreds of hours on the Internet?

Today’s devotional led me to these verses and blesses my heart. If we are trusting God, does it matter what the surveys, reports, consumer comments, etc. say?

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! (Psalm 112:1)
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8)
Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:24)
For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, (Romans 7:22)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1–2)

While our ‘advisor’ might scoff or think we are being lazy, the Word of God is clear; He wants us to seek His will, not out of desperation, or any other reason than we trust Him and delight in discovering that His will is never the wrong thing. No matter where He leads us, His love is behind all that He does on our behalf.

Not only that, we can see His leading. The first sales person told us enough that we knew what not to buy. The second one revealed that a big sale was coming up and we could get better prices in a couple weeks. It was that way with the next ones we talked to until we found the best prices and choices for our needs. We could sense God’s leading in each case and know quite well that God’s name is not spelled Google.

I’ve not told our ‘advice giver’ how we do research, but hope for the opportunity. While stress in making decisions does happen, once the will of God is known, that stress is replaced with great delight and a sense of His love and safe-keeping.

PRAY: Jesus, my prayer today is the same as the psalmist who wrote: “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (Psalm 25:4–5) I’m so thankful for You and truly do delight in Your will.