1 God in the First PlaceSample

ENJOY GOD

“But in the law of the Lord is his delight, and in His law, he meditates day and night!” (Psalm 1:2).

What's your favorite dessert? Imagine you're at home on a Sunday afternoon. There is no more work to do, you have just enjoyed a good meal from your country, and they serve you that favorite dessert. How do you eat it? To the races, hurry or stop to delight. How nice!

In this life, there are many good things that are cause for delight. A meal, a good conversation, listening to good music, sleeping, marital intimacy, sports, and much more. Yet the text says that the happy person delights in the Law. For our postmodern thinking, Law and delight are not good friends. However, in the Bible, the law is a delight. The psalmists rejoiced in the law and called it sweet as honey (Psalm 19:10). The law here refers to the first five books of the Bible and is God's revelation to mankind. It is God's plan for you. God's word is life. The happy human being delights in that law.

Imagine that you are walking through a new city for you. You see many things like lights, cars, and signs, but suddenly you see something that catches your attention, and you stop to contemplate. When you get closer, you realize that it is more beautiful than you thought, and you delight. Delight is having pleasure and enjoying something. The biblical word is even richer in meaning. It is not only delight; it is also the desire to have something of great value; it is will or will.

Delight is enjoyment. It is to stop doing anything to do that which brings delight. Think for a moment: What brings you the most delight in life? What is it that you want to do, no matter the time and place? What is it that takes away your tiredness? What do you delight in? What gives you the most pleasure?

The answers to these questions may teach you why you haven't been able to put God first in your life. We are told that we must put the kingdom of God first. We have been told to spend time with God. But it's hard to spend time on something you don't enjoy. Maybe what you need is to learn to enjoy God. Possibly you need the Holy Spirit to put pleasure in your heart for the word, and God Himself can create in you a new heart capable of enjoying it (Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26-28).

I want to recommend that today when you finish your activities, you sit down to eat your favorite dessert. As you do, think about what your spiritual life would be like if you enjoyed God and His word as you enjoy that dessert. Think about what place God would have in your life if He were your greatest delight.

Prayer: God, make me a person of one desire: to delight in you.

- Misael Silverio is an associate pastor at the Gulf State Conference, USA.