That which is the burden of the carnal heart is the delight of the renewed soul.

Posted : 30 Mar, 2013 07:31 AM

Psalm 11947 And I will delight myself in Your commandments,

which I have loved.





It is but poor comfort to the believer to be able to talk well to

others upon the ways of God, and even to "bear the reproach"

of His people, when his own heart is cold, insensible, and dull.

But why does he not rouse himself to the active exercise of

faith-"I will delight myself in Your commandments?" That

which is the burden of the carnal heart is the delight of the

renewed soul. The former "is enmity against God: and

therefore is not, and cannot be, subject to His law." The latter

can delight in nothing else. If the gospel separates the heart

from sinful delights, it is only to make room for delights of a

more elevated, satisfying, and enduring nature. Satan, indeed,

generally baits his temptations with that seductive witchery,

which the world calls pleasure. But has he engrossed all

pleasure into his service? Are there no pleasures besides "the

pleasures of sin?" Do the ways of the Lord promise nothing

but difficulty and trial? What means then the experience of

him, who could "rejoice in them, as much as in all riches," and who "loved them above gold, yes, above fine gold?" The

"fatted calf" of our Father's house is surely a most gainful

exchange for "the husks" of the "far country." The delights of

holiness go deeper than sensual pleasures. The joy of the

saint is not that false, polluted, deadly joy, which is all that the

worldling knows, and all that he has to look for: but it flows

spontaneously from the fountain of living waters, through the

pure channel of "the word of God, which lives and abides

forever." No, so independent is it of any earthly spring, that it

never flourishes more than in the desolate wilderness, or the

sick-bed solitude; so that, "although the fig-tree shall not

blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, yet we will rejoice

in the Lord, we will joy in the God of our salvation." Men of the

world see what religion takes away, but they see little of what

it gives; else would they reproach-not our folly-but their own

blindness. "Thus says the Lord God, Behold, My servants

shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, My servants shall

drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, My servants shall

rejoice, but you shall be ashamed; behold, My servants shall

sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and

shall howl for vexation of spirit."

The love and complacency of the soul first fixes on the

commandments. Then how natural is the flow of delight in

them! even at the very time that we are "abhorring ourselves

in dust and ashes" for our neglect of them; and God never has

our hearts, until something of this delight is felt and enjoyed.

But do we complain of the dullness of our hearts, that

restrains this pleasure? Let us seek for a deeper impression

of redeeming love. This will be the spring of grateful

obedience and holy delight. Let us turn our complaints into

prayers, and the Lord will quickly turn them into praises. Let

us watch against everything, that would intercept our

communion with Jesus. Distance from Him must be

accompanied with poverty of spiritual enjoyment.-"They shall

be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Your house: and You shall make them drink of the river of Your pleasures. For

with You is the fountain of life: and in Your light shall we see

light."



by

Charles Bridges

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