From duty to delight

I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love.— Psalm 119:47

Because of my wife’s busy schedule, sometimes she can commit only a limited amount of time every week to each of our grandchildren. When possible, however, she will rearrange her schedule to spend more time with them — not out of duty, but because she loves them. When I see her with them, I understand what the word delight means.

In Psalm 119, the psalmist tells of his “delight” in God’s Word. He uses the word delight eight times (vv.16,24, 35,47,70,77,92,174). He says: “I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word. . . . I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love” (vv.16,47). The psalmist’s words, “I will delight,” indicate that it is a deliberate act of his will. However, it is not a burden for him to delight in God’s Word because he loves it. His close relationship with God created in him a desire to know what his Beloved had to say.

In the same way, for us to move from duty to delight in God’s Word, we need to strengthen our relationship with Him. When we remember how much He loves and cherishes us, we will respond  with  love  and  we will delight to spend time with Him. “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (v.97).                         — C. P. Hia

Then let me love my Bible more

And take a fresh delight

By day to read these wonders o’er

And meditate by night. — Watts

READ: Psalm 119:41-48

Whether morning, noon, or night,

make God’s Word your delight.

The Bible in one year:

• Ezekiel 40-42