The Delight of My Heart
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
At Ingleside, we trust and treasure the word of God – the Bible. Why? Because we believe it is the word of God, or as 2 Timothy 3:16 says, it is “God-breathed.” And because we trust and treasure God Himself, we trust and treasure what he says. In fact, we love it; we delight in it! Listen to what others have said about delighting in God’s word:
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, ESV)
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:9-16, ESV)
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
(Jeremiah 15:16, ESV)
And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. (Ezekiel 2:9-3:3, ESV)
I pray that you have experienced the goodness of God’s word and that you currently delight in it. But what if you don’t? What if you have a season in which reading your Bible feels only like a duty and not also a delight?
If you have a season like that, here’s my advice – keep reading the Bible! As you are disciplined to stay in God’s word, you will get to know him more; and the more you get to know him, the more time you spend with him, the more you will love his word.
Aren’t you thankful that God has spoken to us? And that because He is so good, everything he says – even the things that are convicting or challenging – is good and can be delighted in?
Awake Celebration
Two weeks ago, about 400 students and leaders from Ingleside went to Awake, our annual winter retreat for middle and high school students. I am thankful that it was a great retreat, and I am thankful for a church that invests so much in the next generation. Watch the recap video below to see a glimpse of the retreat and to share in the celebration!
With the affection of Christ,
