This thing called desire …

There’s a story recorded in Moody Monthly by M. Littleton about a proud young man who came to the philosopher, Socrates, asking for knowledge …

He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge.” Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, “What do you want?”

“Knowledge, O wise Socrates,” said the young man with a smile.

Socrates put his strong hands on the man’s shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up.

“What do you want?” he asked again.

“Wisdom,” the young man sputtered, “O great and wise Socrates.”

Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping.

“What do you want, young man?”

Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, “Knowledge, O wise and wonderful …”

Socrates jammed him under again. Forty seconds passed. Fifty.

“What do you want?”

“Air!” he screeched. “I need air!”

“When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge.”

The reality about our human experience is that we usually pursue most earnestly what we truly desire. The problem with that is, our desires more naturally lead us to sin …

“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death,” James 1:13-15.

Our own desires are our greatest source of utter and complete ruin.

God wants to change that!

God’s great plan throughout all of human history is to change our hearts so that our single greatest desire is, once again, for Him!

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations,” Ezekiel 36:26-27.

God’s plan is to change our hearts so that we desire Him like the young man in the story above desired air. The psalmist described this kind of desire for God as a thirst …

“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” Psalm 42:1-2.

When God Himself has become our great desire, it is then that God freely gives us what we desire …

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires,” Psalm 37:4.

What — our who — is the desire of your heart? Where are your desires leading you?

Scotty