"Be my delight..."

Greetings! Tim took this picture at Stanley Park today and I really love it! It's not often that you see a swan nowadays.....especially one so purely white...most of the time they are kinda dirty and grey colored. It certainly beats running into Canadian Geese, that's for sure!

I have been pondering what it means to have all my delight in the Lord.....You see, I ran into an article in a magazine here in Canada that read,

"Is God Poison?: a growing movement blames religion for all the world's ills, from the war on terror to AIDS in Africa to child abuse" and I wondered, "whoa...that's a heavy statement and to a dying and depressed world, I can see how God would be seen as such". Religion certainly does not seem to bring peace......

Upon reading the article, I discovered that what was missing in their arguments was a 'true' representation of the character of God. They spoke of how evil and destructive followers of 'God' can be and it included Christians, Jews, Muslims, and every other supposedly "peace-loving" religion, too. But perhaps basing their entire view of God on fallible man is not a good idea. I don't think we humans know God well enough to show by our actions that He isn't poison, but rather He is the antidote to the poisoning of our souls from the ultimate enemy of humanity...your know who I mean, right?

I t is my hope and my prayer that one day, I will reflect the true character of God....

What does this have to do with delight? Well, I notice that when I commit my day to delighting in the Lord, I seem to not hurt others around me! No, it's the truth! I know I hurt others and a lot of times when I cause pain, I don't even know it. But when I truly delight in the character of Christ...my God- His justice, mercy, grace, love, faithfulness, power, patience, His coming glory, Christ's sacrifice, His revelations, His forgiveness- I find that I live without fear of hurting others around me....because they're not getting hurt! His delight creates in me a clean heart, a pure mind, and encouraging and exhorting words. Even when the truth is spoken and the truth can hurt, there is understanding and grace....I wish I could delight in the Lord EVERY MINUTE! Delighting in Him creates peace....it comforts the brokenhearted, serves the poor, desires reconciliation, seeks the best in everyone.....THAT doesn't sound like a God who should be blamed for war, AIDS and child abuse.

Maybe that's the point....religion WITHOUT GOD causes those things....we've been too busy creating religions that we forgot to get to know GOD!

Psalm 37 says,

"Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
The Lord's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

29 the righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

33 but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him."

Perhaps this passage explains what so many "God-following" people are missing (myself included). Every religion worships gods or God, but when we truly KNOW the true God, our reaction to following Him should represent His character and His heart. His heart puts an end to poverty, war, AIDS, and child abuse.....and I should, too....by His power and His mercy. "HELP ME, OH LORD!" Be blessed.