Today’s Devotion
Topic: DON’T WANT ANYTHING MORE THAN GOD
TEXT: Psalm 37: 4.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Amen.
The Bible is full of the examples of many who couldn’t take anything less than what they desired from life. They didn’t care about God, nor whatever He thought about their situation. They wanted what they wanted more than they needed God. If things were not going to go their way, then death was even better.
One of such examples was Rachael, the second wife of Jacob. According to Genesis 30: 1, ‘When she saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister (Leah) and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”‘.
Wow! This woman wanted children so badly that she cared less about life if it was going to be without children. No wonder “Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” (Gen 30: 2).
Another perfect example was the wife of Job. When the wealth of her husband reduced to ashes and sores on his body, it also meant she couldn’t have the life of luxury she may have been enjoying in previous years. The best advice she could give her husband was, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2: 9). But just like Rachael, Job rebuked her saying, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all these, Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2: 10).
Beloved, many of us find ourselves behaving just like Rachael and Job’s wife. We care less about God’s plan for our lives. We have no time to study and meditate on His word to know what He is saying in our situation, let alone wait in His presence for anything. We must go every extent till that one desire we crave for is achieved; even if that means pushing God aside and turning to man for help. If the help wouldn’t come, death is not a new option. As if to say life is only about the things we so badly desire. We realize from the passages above that both Jacob and Job had reverence for the sovereignty of God. They knew that God does whatever pleases Him and that in our lives, it is He who is to be glorified, not the dictates of our passion. Jacob was able to remind His wife of the God in heaven who had the sole ability to give children, not him. Job also reminded his wife of all the good from God they had received in times past and inquired why he had to curse God just because they were facing challenges now.
Precious One, please check your life therefore and the things you desire. Do not want anything more than God; especially as you do not even know how these things come about nor how they are sustained. You don’t even understand their nature nor the future they present. Rather, delight yourself in the Lord! Love Him with all your heart, might and soul. Love your neighbour too as yourself. Obey His commandments and remain committed to the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. And watch Him bless you with the delights of your heart.
Begin to pray now that all your desires will align with the word of God. And that you will choose God over everything; material or mundane. Delighting only in His commands and obeying them. Remember, Hannah also wanted a child as much as Rachael did. But instead of demanding a baby from her husband, she went to God pleading, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (1 Sam 1: 11). She wanted a son, but not more than she needed her God.
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