Desires

This February afternoon is one of the most beautiful days of the year.  The sun is shining, it is warm, and the sky is free of clouds.   All that I see is a vapor trail left behind by a high-flying jet. 

A slight breeze is moving the lower, hanging branches of three birch trees that are nestled together at the front corner of my property.  It is T-shirt weather for sure. 

The lawn is coming out of the dormant period and will need to be fertilized as I have done regularly since building our home several years ago. 

As I walk across the lawn I notice that some of the camellia shrubs lining my property line fence are beginning to bud with flowers—coming out to greet the sun’s rays—some pink, the other’s having red blossoms.

Blessed is the word that comes to mind when I consider all that God has given to me through the years.  I was able to build our home at a time when the cost of building, in Contra Costa County, was affordable.  It had always been a burning desire and vision of mine to build my family’s home at the end of a cul-de-sac. 

At times I had feelings of doubt whether this dream would ever come true.  I would then remind God of what the Bible said concerning His promise to me. 

(Psalm 37:4-5), “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”  vs.5 “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”  

This was truly a strong, driving desire, and I knew that I had been putting the Lord first in all things to the best of my ability.  God’s Word is true—I am a living testimony of this truth.

(Psalm 84:11), “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” 

I placed God first on the list of my many wants when I accepted Jesus as Lord of my life eighteen years prior to breaking ground for our new house.  Eighteen long years it took God to give me my heart’s desire.  I could not understand why He waited so long to answer my prayers, but that day finally came. 

I bought an incredible lot, at a hard to believe price, at the end of a court.  A building contractor sold it to me at half the price that it should have gone for, with the market values the way they were back then. 

The contractor needed to sell one of the five lots that he had subdivided in order to put in street and sidewalk improvements.  He was new in the area, from out of state, and didn’t know the going price for land in California.  I was the first to respond to his newspaper add.

I secured a construction loan at a low interest rate and work began.  I was more financially able to build at that time than ever before, even though I wanted to build sooner.  Our time schedule is not always God’s timeline.  His timing is perfect. 

We must learn how to give God some latitude and believe that He is working in our behalf to bring about His perfect will for our life.  In every situation God will get the glory if we are patient and allow Him to work out the details. 

I have strived to walk circumspectly before God and have never found Him to be late.  He has always been on time—never failing me.  One by one God has given me the desires of my heart and met my every need, while exceeding all of my expectations.  

God speaks truth today if we open our ears to listen and apply what we hear to our life.  He tells us that if we just try Him and trust in Him, we will find that He is good.  God knows the moment that we do this, the hunger and thirst that’s in our spiritual gut will finally be filled and we’ll be changed, because we found true happiness—overflowing happiness like we have never experienced heretofore.

(Psalm 34:8), “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

When I gaze at the trees, shrubs, and lawn that I planted, and behold the beautiful home that my wife and I designed and built, I see God’s promise fulfilled and revealed.  I am very happy, not for what God has given me materially or monetarily, but for the gift of salvation—God’s grace imparted to me through His son Jesus Christ.  In Him I have found abundant living—it began in January, 1969, when I tried Jesus.  

Everything else that I had tried prior to that day had failed to bring peace and contentment, so what did I have to lose by giving God a chance to work?  I invited Jesus into my heart, which was the beginning of success—the decision that changed the rest of my life in positive ways.

God has blessed me beyond measure.  I am remiss and at lose as to how I could ever repay or thank Him for all that He has done for me… He only asks for my allegiance and loyalty.

(Romans 12:1-2), “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” vs.2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

Jesus doesn’t expect me to do penitence or think of ways to repay Him for His mercy and grace.  All I need to do is live in the knowledge that He has forgiven me of my transgressions and recognize that He is Lord of my life.  Everything else finds it’s rightful and proper place, because Jesus reigns in my heart—righteousness prevails. 

We are not good or righteous within our own self or in our own abilities; they are as filthy rags in the sight of God.  Only through Jesus Christ can we become righteous and good in God’s eyes.  When God looks upon us He sees Jesus’ blood that has covered and cleansed us from all unrighteousness. 

Jesus died a harsh, cruel death on a rugged cross, suspended between heaven and earth—buying forgiveness for our sins.  There is nothing that you or I can do to buy God’s forgiveness.  It was the shedding of blood; righteous blood; the blood of Jesus, God’s son that made it possible for you and me to become children of God; to walk and talk with the creator of all things.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no-one can come unto the Father in heaven except through Jesus.  Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins and paying the ultimate price for a world that needs a Savior.  Thank you for making it easy to understand the plan of salvation and what we must do to inherit eternal life. 

There is only one reason under heaven why a person would not experience redemption—freewill gets in the way.  Every person is free to choose Life or to reject Him.  Destiny is our choice.  When we choose Jesus, He gives us the desires of our heart and heaven too.

Written by,

Papa Boyd