“We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls. At night my soul longs for You, indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently.” — Isaiah 26:8–9 (NASB95)

I love the thought that lies within these verses, but at the same time I am deeply challenged by them. This morning I am asking myself, “Tom, what is the desire of your soul?” I want to say that Isaiah captured it. I want to say that the desire of my soul is to long for and to seek God’s presence. I would like to say that even if I can’t feel His presence in this moment, that just His name and my memory of all He has done for me are enough to fill the desire of my soul. But I don’t know. If I were honest I would have to say that most days I am too busy thinking about me and the world around me. I would have to admit that the desire of my soul is most often replaced with the desire of my will. I must repent of this kind of living if I am ever going to experience what Isaiah described in the verses above.

As I type these words I pray that at least a few of you understand the inner struggle I am going through. I know in my heart of hearts that if I were to surrender more of me (my will) and replace it with thoughts of who God is and what He has done for me, my life would be more fulfilling and complete. I know that I would then be truly fulfilling my soul’s desire. Hence, this morning I repent. This morning I turn to God and His word. I meditate and ponder His goodness and His grace toward me. As I begin my day, I feel more complete. I feel more connected to my soul and less connected to my will. I think I am beginning to understand Isaiah’s words, and boy, are they good words.

May the Lord (even the memory of His goodness) be your soul’s desire today.

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church