delightful?

For a while now I’ve been turning over the word delight, trying to internalize what it means for a believer. Consider these passages:

• “his delight is in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 1:2)
• “He delivered me, because He delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19)
• “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives” (Psalm 37:23)
• “I delight to do Your will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8)
• “As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight” (Psalm 16:3)

Each of these is worth meditating on: Do I delight in God’s law and in doing His will? Do I delight in God’s people? (the New Living Translation says the godly “are my true heroes!”) Do I believe that God delights in me?

I could write an entire post on each of these questions, but for now I want to focus on this word. The Hebrew words used in these verses can be translated “delight, pleasure, desire.” Delight has stood out to me for a while because it’s not a word I hear or use very often; I know what the word means in the same way I know what bungee jumping means: I’ve got a definition in my head, but I haven’t really experienced it, internalized it, got it in my heart. As far as bungee jumping goes, that’s okay. I’m quite content with having only an intellectual understanding of the concept. But when it comes to delight, that’s a different story.

As I said, I’ve been pondering this concept for a while. What got me writing about it today was Oswald Chambers. He writes “We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord?” He finishes by quoting Psalm 40:8– “I delight to do Your will.”

This struck a chord with me because lately I’ve found it a duty to go to church. Nothing wrong with church–I know it’s all me. But as I reflect on this, I realize what’s missing: pleasure, delight. And I realize that, yes, I have experienced delight–but I didn’t think to put that word on the feeling.

I’m reminded that the one person I know who uses delight is my father; when he visits, he says its been delightful to be with us, that it’s delightful to watch me with my children. That’s helpful, because it points me to emotions and experiences, to actions that relate to delight.

Last night, Anna (she’s five) gave a dance recital in the living room. She loves to dance–I should say that she delights in dancing. And I delight in watching her. As I think of her dancing–really as I think of Anna in any context–I smile; I can’t help but do so. I take pleasure in her words, her actions: I can get a handle on “He delights in every detail of their lives.” So, I understand God as Father delighting in His children.

It occurs to me that perhaps my response of “way cool” when I read or hear an insight into Scripture is my delighting in His law. The Word becoming real speaks to both my head and my heart.

I’m going to have to consider delighting to do His will further–that one seems harder.

Tagged as: Oswald-Chambers, thinking