Do you find that you approach God only when you are in need of something? We get caught up in what God can do for us, that we lose sight of the relationship He desires for us to have with Him. He delights in spending time with us.
Dr. Michael Youssef has been in pastoral ministry for nearly 45 years. One thing he has witnessed over the years is our human tendency to pray only when we need something.
“I’ve watched short attention spans; coming to God only when you want something, but then you have really nothing to say to God during those times when you don’t want something. God sees through that. In fact, when He saw that happening during the day of Isaiah the Prophet.”
“The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” Isaiah 29:13
“When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). It’s a delight; it’s sitting in the presence of God and not necessarily wanting anything, but you are reveling in His grace, reveling in His glory, majesty, and His love for us. The amazing love that was demonstrated on the cross.”
God delights in His Creation; He wants communicate with us on a personal level. Dr. Youssef points out that a healthy relationship is a two-way street.
“You have to allow God the opportunity to speak to you. Not to come in, rattle whatever it is you need, keep running out, and then keep persisting only until you get it, and then you have never even come back and say thank you.”
“When you come and praise Him, adore Him, worship Him, and thank Him, God is delighted in us and you are delighted in Him.”
As we spend quality time with the Lord and take delight in Him, it will draw us closer to His heart and desires for our lives.
Dr. Michael Youssef founded The Church of The Apostles in 1987 with fewer than 40 adults with the mission to “Equip the Saints and Seek the Lost.” The church has since grown to a congregation of over 3000. He is author of several books including .
Delight yourself in the Lord
