What is My Pleasure and My Passion?

Day by day, at the beginning of the day, and throughout the day ...

What is my pleasure,

and what is my passion?

What do I wake up thinking about, 

and what do I focus on throughout the day?

Is it worry, is it the cares of this world? 
Is it focused on all that I hope to accomplish?

Where do my thoughts go, if left to default?  

"Taking thoughts captive - I mean really winning your thoughts back to God - requires replacing them with the true knowledge of God. Without a replacement, they'll forever taunt you. When His Words about Himself become a part of my everyday vernacular, something inside me shifts." (Sara Hagerty)

delighting in the Word,

meditating on it day and night

There are so many things to focus on in life - no end of tasks, projects, priorities, to pull our hearts and our minds. And our time. But this one thing - delighting in His Word, and meditating on it ... this comes with a promise.

They are like trees planted along a riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

So I will listen closely to these words ... and I will ponder:

• delighting in His Word means more than checking it off our lists when we read His Word
• meditating day and night means that we carry His Words with us throughout the day, all through the day, and when we lie awake at night
• delighting means that His Word, that He, is our pleasure and our passion

Whatever season of life we are in - as young mothers desiring to raise our children well, as a moms of teens faced with all the emotions and challenges of that season of life, as empty-nesters (as I am) faced with the many responsibilities of loving and caring for our own parents as well as grandchildren and grown children ... whatever season of life we are in, each with it's own unique blessings and challenges ...

Our highest calling, our deepest pleasure and passion ... delighting in Him, His Words, and meditating on them throughout our days and our moments, letting them sink deeply into our hearts, souls, and minds.

A calling that comes with a promise ...

They will stand firm like a flourishing tree,

planted by God's design,

deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss;

bearing fruit in every season of their lives.

They are never dry, never fainting,

ever blessed, ever prosperous.

(Psalm 1:3 The Passion Translation)

Thank You, Lord, for using these words to encourage and motivate me, again, and to remind me of what is of most importance. Whatever season of life I am in, and even in this season of empty nest (and still a very full life), my key to living a fruitful, blessed life for You, is to immerse my heart and my thoughts in You. Success does not come from completing tasks or projects, marking things off my list of accomplishments, pursuing my interests and hobbies ... true, lasting fruit comes from You, from spending time with You, from letting Your Words soak deep into the soil of my heart and mind.