I stood at the brink of the river and thought of life. Its struggles and its stillness.
From the top of the ravine, I could see the 20 ft waterfall and its headlong rush over the rocky face of the falls. I could also see the quiet pool just above the falls as well as the quietly flowing stream below the falls.
Seeing the stark difference between the two drew my thought to a verse found in the Psalms.
“..he bringeth them into their desired haven.” Psalm 107:30
What is your desired haven? Is there something that you are longing for? Has your desire been fulfilled?
Desired Defined
The word desired depicts a strong longing, delight, or purpose. Throughout the Scriptures there runs a thread of theology that reveals the link between one’s character and their desire. It also communicates that what God’s delights in is relational and redemptive.
Desire can be traced to our will. We choose what we desire or long after. God knew that our desires, when left untransformed would lead to our downfall.
It was with purpose, that God set boundaries for the desires of His people within the Mosaic covenant. God’s people were to “love the LORD with all heart, soul, and might.”
However, if you follow God’s people down the path of time, you will find that their misplaced desires brought about exile and defeat. Sadly, we can find some of those misplaced desires within our church world. Ritualistic endeavors, self-indulgence, and spiritual apathy are all forms of misplaced desire.
Misplaced Desires
When recognized, misplaced desires call us to repentance and realignment with divine delight. We must move from obligation to delight. Ritualistic endeavors without righteousness will never be enough.
If you find yourself tangled up in ritualistic duty instead of relational life where obedience is fueled by your delight in God, stop and take notice of the core desire that fuels this tendency.
- Do you tend to be a people-pleaser?
- Have you moved from relational to ritual because of your desire to be well-thought of by others?
- What is the reason you engage in life the way you do?
We find our way back to joyful obedience by delighting ourselves in God (Psalm 37:4). Meditation on the sovereignty of God and His sacrifice will bring about transformation. A transformed delight results in righteous living. It is no longer just a ritual or duty, but a life of delighting to do God’s will (Psalm 1:2).
Another misplaced desire is wrapped up in the guise of self-indulgence. On the one hand, we may worry too much about what other people think. On the other hand, we may do only what we please without thought to others. When we indulge in whims and desires without restraint there is a selfishness that we need to contend with.
Freedom in Christ is not a call to become self-indulgent. Rather, Galatians 5:13 outlines our desired response. We are called to serve one another. Galatians 5:14 continues with God’s desire for His people.
“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Galatians 5:14
God calls us from self-indulgence to selfless serving.
- Are your desires fueled by selfishness?
- Or are you living in the Spirit with a heartfelt desire to fulfill Christ’s commands His way?
Distracted Desire
The Israelites found themselves enmeshed in spiritual apathy when they let their circumstances consume them. Whether it was difficult times or blessed abundance the Israelites seemed to be pros at detaching their divine delight from religious activities. They continued their rituals but lost the relationship.
When our lives become filled with distractions, which lead to neglecting spiritual disciplines we lose sight of God’s love. Consequently, it becomes hard to maintain a passionate faith. Spiritual apathy is a real concern in the church world.
Ways to combat the pull of apathy in spirit is a necessity if we want to maintain a passionate faith.
- Confess any known sin.
- Recommit to spiritual disciplines.
- Connect with a community of like-minded believers.
- Remove distractions that pull us away from God.
Accepting mediocrity will strike a deathblow to our spiritual desires.
Where are your desires taking you? Is it a haven of God’s design?
Desired Deliverance brings Worship
Psalm 107:23-32 depicts a group of sailors out on the sea. They saw the wondrous works of the Lord in the depths of the sea. They recognized the authority God had over the wind and waves.
A storm arose unlike any they had ever seen. They reeled and staggered and were at their wits end. In their trouble they had a deep desire for the storm to be stilled. They called on God and He made the storm to still. The waters quieted and they were brought to their desired haven.
God is the captain of our life. When God’s guidance lead us into the storm, He is at work transforming our desires until we are led to God’s desired haven for us.
It was after we see God’s deliverance that the Psalmist calls us to worship. This is God’s desire for us.
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:31
When we have been delivered from the storms of life and have reached the haven of our desire, worship will keep us connected to the divine.
God desires our worship. He delights in the worship of His people (Psalm 147:10-11). It is in the haven of worship that our connection with God is strengthened.
Don’t let your desire for God abate when times of peace and abundance come. It is then we must be on our guard. When desire for God wanes, we must carefully peruse the core desires of our life and then realign our desires with Him.
God calls His people to desire nothing less than Himself. Desire binds together the human response with divine purpose. You are the center of His desire. He delights to bring you into your desired haven. A haven that is characterized with Himself.
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