READ: MATTHEW 16:24-25; MARK 4:18-20; PHILIPPIANS 2:12-18

We desire food, water, clothing, and shelter. We desire fulfilling relationships. Sometimes we desire knowledge, fame, or skill. Desire is a powerful thing. It is so deeply woven into the fabric of our being that it drives almost every facet of our lives.

In the beginning, God created desire and placed it within us. But, as with every other good thing, Satan soon produced a counterfeit and cunningly sold it to humanity. Satan fooled Adam and Eve into believing the lie that God was holding out on them. So, instead of recognizing that our desires have boundaries established by God for our benefit, humans chose to cross those boundaries and go against God’s good ways. Their rebellion and rejection of God, also known as sin, broke God’s good world and subjected us to the power of sin. Now, instead of desiring the things of God, we selfishly lust after pleasure, power, and wealth (1 John 2:16).

Let’s take a closer look at God’s original intent for desire, and how He wants us to use it. In Psalm 73:25, the psalmist says, “I desire you [God] more than anything on earth.” Twice in Proverbs, it is written that wisdom is to be desired above anything else, even precious stones (3:15, 8:11). In 1 Corinthians, Paul urges us to “earnestly desire” the most helpful spiritual gifts, and he does so twice (12:31; 14:1)! In Philippians 3:8, Paul says, “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” So how can our desires be restored to God’s original design? When we put our trust in Jesus, He gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). And His Holy Spirit lives in us, transforming our desires and helping us choose daily to delight ourselves in God and His Word—in intimately knowing the One who made us. All that this world has to offer pales in comparison to knowing Christ. And when our desires are aligned with His, He is delighted to grant them to us! • Anna M. Mast

• When was the last time you delighted in God and His Word? God loves and delights in us. And the more we delight in who God is, the more our desires become aligned with His. What are some ways you can spend intentional time with God this week, both by yourself and with other Christians?

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 (NLT)