“I just love reading the Book of Proverbs,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring our breakfast.
“Lots of wisdom in that book,” I replied.
“Sure is,” Stan said. “Wisdom for our relationship with God as well as for our relationships with other people. Sometimes I will see a verse that doesn’t seem to be specifically about God, but can have a significant impact on my faith walk with Him.”
“You got an example of that?” I asked.
“Sure do,” Stan said, “I ran across one earlier this morning dealing with a father writing or talking to a son that, it seems to me, can be read as coming from God the Father to any of us who are His children.”
“What was that one about?”
“Delight,” was Stan’s one-word answer.
“Delight? As contrasted to de-dark?” I said with a smile.
Stan laughed. “No, delight as in being delighted and then being delightful.”
I didn’t say anything so he continued. “In the verse I was looking at, the father is addressing his son, telling the son to give the father his heart and let his eyes delight in the ways of the father.”
“You’re right,” I replied, “I can see that could be God talking or writing to each one of us. He wants us to give Him our hearts and He certainly wants us to delight in His ways.”
“Sure seems that way to me,” Stan said. “When I came to faith, I gave God not only my heart, but my entire life. He gave me the assurance of salvation and redemption so I know I will spend eternity with Him when my time here is completed.”
“And what about your time before then, while you wait for the train?” I asked.
“That’s when I am to delight in God’s ways by drawing ever closer to Him in a deepening personal relationship based on knowing God the Father and Jesus the Son.”
“Delight in Him and in His ways so you will manifest Him and His ways in your life,” I said. “Is that it?”
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “Manifest Him so it may make a difference to those who are watching. I am to be delighted in Him and then I am to be delightful to Him so I make a difference for Him.”
“Be delighted and delightful,” I said. “In, to, and for. As simple as that?”
“As simple as that,” Stan replied, “but always remember just because something may sound simple, that doesn’t mean it’s easy.”
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Bible verses to be considered:
Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways. Proverbs 23:26.
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2.
Thy testimonies are also my delight; they are my counselors. Psalm 119:24.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of life eternally with you when my time here is completed. I gave you my heart, along with my entire being, when I accepted your free and gracious provision through the cross of Christ. Thank you for allowing me to observe your ways so I can manifest them for you and your kingdom while you keep me on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I don’t make the effort to observe your ways and certainly do not manifest them. Please forgive that foolish approach to living this life you have given to me. Please, Father, help me to follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, observe and manifest your ways to make a difference for you and for your kingdom. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you given your heart to God so you know you will spend eternity with Him when your time here is completed? If no, why? If you are a Christian, how are you doing with observing God’s ways and making those ways a part of your life on this side of eternity? And how are you doing in manifesting God’s ways to those who are watching? If you sense the need for change in that, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 