THE WORD-FILLED HEART (2)

“I delight to DO YOUR WILL, O my God, and YOUR LAW is WITHIN MY HEART” – Psalm 40:8

A life that aligns with God’s Will and pleases Him is one that flows from the WORD-FILLED HEART: “I delight to DO YOUR WILL, O my God, and YOUR LAW is WITHIN MY HEART” (Psa.40:8). We noted yesterday that the Law of God represents HIS WORD. Psalm 40 describes how David patiently waited on the Lord to be delivered from his foes, and the Lord heard him, brought him “up out of a horrible pit,” set his feet upon a rock, established his steps, and put a new song in his mouth (vv.1-3a). He released a steady stream of thanksgiving, as he recounted his deliverance by the Lord, which would persuade many to reverence and trust in the Lord (v.3b). He insisted that the Lord was incomparable in His wonderful works and innumerable positive thoughts (vv.4-5).

When David penned these words, they were in every respect a song of thankful worship to the Father that pointed to the coming Messiah, Who would come from heaven to become our sacrifice for sin. The eternal Son of God humbled Himself to become a servant – Who did only those things that He heard from the Father. He delighted to do the will of the Father, because God's Law was treasured in His heart: The messianic verses 6-8 are cited in Hebrews 10:5–7, with reference to: “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come – in the volume of the book it is written of Me – To do Your will, O God.’”

David shared this story with his fellow worshipers in the sanctuary (v.9). He was confident that the Lord would continue to show him His tender mercies, lovingkindness, and His truth or faithfulness (vv.10-11). Although his heart was almost failing him, he called on God for help because of his sins, and the awareness that his enemies wanted to bring him to shame and destroy his life (vv.12-15).

David was thrilled to do God's Will, Whom he knew personally as “MY GOD,” and held God's Word in his heart. His devotion to God's Will and Word portrays Jesus' relationship to God and His Word. When the Devil tempted Jesus for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, He refused to abandon His worship of the Father by falling down to worship the Devil (Mt.4:8–9). But Jesus resolutely refused the offer. He rebuked the Devil and appealed to the biblical command: “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Mt.4:10). Jesus continued that pattern throughout His earthly ministry (Jh 4:34; 5:19; 17:4-6).

The Father’s Will is for His children to love Him, walk with Him, obey, and be faithful to respond to Him each moment of each day. It’s in our deeper knowledge of Him that our heart grows to delight in doing His will. Though we may not hear an audible voice, we can hear His Voice in His Words to us from the Bible. We can perceive His law written on our hearts through His Spirit at work within us, reminding us of His words, and prompting us with His ways.  And we can walk uprightly before Him, presenting our lives and all!

As redeemed children of God, we have been bought with a price and saved by grace through faith. We are ambassadors of Christ, called to be His witnesses to a world in need. But however glorious our salvation and privileged our service, our priority callings are to worship at His feet, to delight to do His will, to treasure His Word in our hearts and to remain in the centre of His will for the rest of our lives. May our highest joy and greatest delight be to live in the centre of God’s Will and to treasure His Word in our heart!