Psalm 119:9-16

Psalm 119:9-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

  What truly delights you?  The thought of winning a few billion dollars certainly seems to offer delight!
  Ice cream and sunshine and the laughter of a child all bring happiness.  When the planets align and the kids are quiet and I can sit in my backyard and listen to the world go round, I feel peace.  At times, I've experienced a deep joy, combined with a wonder at the beauty of God's creation.
  God offers us delight beyond riches.  God brings us forth into a new economy, one that is based on grace and doesn't define us based on our status in the world.  We aren't left looking at our bank account and wondering if we are good enough -- we delight in God, and that is a deeper, sustaining delight, one that doesn't bounce around depending on our life circumstances.  When we discover delight in God, we are anchored to the steady deep even in the most tumultuous storm.  When we discover delight in God, we're brought into light that darkness can only threaten, never destroy.
  To find this delight in God, we study God's Word.  It's there that we see the wonders of God's love, and we realize that much of the law is there to organize our life around God.  It's a gift, meant to point all of life to God, meant to help us marvel at God's provision for us.  God isn't just looking to restrict us -- God is trying to call us deeper into delight, into joy, so that we turn from fear and anxiety and wonder at God's amazing love for us.