FRIDAY 18th

Jesus was once asked by some super religious people: “Why don’t Your disciples fast, like John’s disciples fast?” He responded with a story about a wedding feast, and how no-one fasts while the party is on, saying: “Should the wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Someday he will be taken away from them and then they will fast.” (Matthew 9 v 14 – 17)

Today is traditionally “Ascension Day” – the day marking Jesus being “taken away” from His bride, the church, with the promise that He will return. The bride is supposed to miss her man. She is love-sick and things like food and other pleasures are easily set aside because of her DESIRE for her husband. Jesus says that they will fast out of DESIRE for the one they love, and with the hope that one day they will be reunited.  

Over the past month or so I have found that DESIRE is a much greater motivator than DUTY or DESPERATION. I’ll write something about fasting out of desperation over the next few days, but for today, lets consider our desires. I believe that “God gives us the desires of our hearts, as we delight ourselves in Him.” (Psalm 37:4)  Our real desire is intimate real relationship with our Amazing Almighty Creator God. Our greatest delight is in His presences. Here’s how David expressed His DESIRE in Psalm 27 verse 4:

   “One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,  And to inquire in His temple.”

Whats your desire today?