As a new Christian, when I read this verse, I was overjoyed with the thought that whatever I asked for, God would make it happen. Five decades later, I know that the verse is true but my heart had not yet been trained for what it really means. First of all, delight means extreme satisfaction or pleasure. Do you feel extreme pleasure in the presence of God? The second part of that sentence in the verse says God will give you the desires of your heart. The thing is, as I have grown closer to God, my desires have changed. The physical wants that I thought I one time I just had to obtain have been replaced with spiritual needs that I yearn for. My greatest desire is to be close to God and to hear His voice as I go through my day. Along with that is the desire to see loved ones in a relationship with our Father in Heaven. Does that mean that I have stopped wanting nice things? No, but they are no longer a priority.

The other important word in the verse is commit. It means to devote yourself to a person or a thing. Are you devoted to God? Is He the most important person in your life? When the path we want to take is devoted wholly to the will of God, that is when He acts on our behalf and brings our prayers to fruition.

God is not a genie in a bottle that we say the magic words, He appears and takes care of all of our problems, answering all of our prayers just the way we ask them. God is the God of the Universe, making decisions that are right for all of mankind, not just for me or for you.

I’m praying today for a good visit with the retina eye specialist. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with dry macular degeneration. My sister has been undergoing treatment for the wet kind for several years, going every 4-6 weeks to get shots in her eyes. Having accompanied her to those visits, I am not excited about the whole process. Nevertheless, I continue to believe that nothing will happen today that God and I can’t handle together. I don’t know what the doctor will say, but I already know what God has said to me. He speaks softly to my heart and tells me He is close by and that it will all be okay. And it will, because He is my Father and will never leave me.

As you ponder the verse above, please consider how close you are to the Living God and how close you allow Him to be to you. What are your expectations of God for your life? More importantly, what are His expectations for you?

Have a wonderful and blessed day, devoted to God and committed to Him. May your paths be straight and your way brilliantly lit so that you do not stray from His will.