Lord I give you my heart

When God created us, or man and woman in the beginning, He gave us the gift of desire.  A deep longing for something we don't yet have, or do have, that will keep us chasing after it.  He created us with a soul that is connected to Him and would recognize what blessed Him, and be able to discern those desires that would lead to sin and suffering, versus those that would lead to glory.  There is a depth within us that recognizes right from wrong, even before we know God (Romans 1:20).  Once we know God, Holy Spirit has a greater (and the goal is growing) access to our soul, to convict us and draw us into alignment with Holy God (John 14:16, 26, 16:3 & 8, Ephesians 2:18, 3:16, Romans 8:26-27).  Our desires that are self-pleasing and destructive become less and less in exchange for God's desires which are for our good, Holy living which comes with earthly and heavenly reward, and the building up of the believers (Romans 8:28-39, Galatians 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:11).  Winning more to Christ, we also may experience the Joy of the Lord (Matthew 16:24, Acts 1:8)  Giving up my heart's desires in exchange for pursuing His = blessings (Psalm 37:4-5, Romans 12:2).  When we come into covenant relationship with God, we are under His banner of protection (Song of Solomon 2:4, James 4:7, Romans 8:31-39, 10:11).

God gave us a will of our own: to choose instead of being programmed in only one way.  In the original account, Genesis 2:15-25, we see that God created man, and gave him options, told him what was the best option, and even gave him a helper who could also choose, provide accountability and encouragement.  His desire was that they would help each other in the pursuit of Himself throughout their life and live without shame.  He gave man a reason to need woman: physically and as a life-partner and guide.  Does that mean that all women are inherently more like God, Holy, and should control their husbands?  Absolutely not!  But, when we as women are in alignment with God, we can save our husbands by our influence (1 Peter 3:2).  We will get into this more, but for now, let's focus on our first relationship: with Him.

1. The Nature of Desires:

• God-given Desires:
  The Bible acknowledges that humans have desires, some of which are good and aligned with God's design (e.g., desires for relationships, intimacy). 

• Fallen Desires:
  However, our desires are often corrupted by sin and can lead us away from God's will. (Romans 3:10-12) 

• The Need for Transformation:
  The Bible emphasizes the need to transform our desires so they align with God's. (Romans 3:23)

2. The Exchange:

• Delighting in the Lord:
  Psalm 37:4 states, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." This verse highlights that true satisfaction and alignment with God's will come from delighting in Him. 

• Surrendering to God's Will:
  We are called to surrender our desires, plans, and aspirations to God, trusting that His ways are higher than ours (Romans 5:8, 6:23). 

• The Role of Faith:
  This exchange requires faith, believing that God's plan is ultimately good, even when it differs from what we desire (Romans 8:1, 10:9). 

• The Power of the Holy Spirit:
  The Holy Spirit empowers believers to resist sinful desires and to pursue God's will. 

• The apostle Paul urged believers to "put off your old self" and "put on the new self" (Ephesians 4:22-24). 

4. Putting Submission into Practice:

             Seeking God's Will:

• We are encouraged to seek God's will through prayer, Scripture reading, and fellowship with other believers. 

• Living a Life of Obedience:
  Obedience to God's commands and living according to His principles are essential aspects of this exchange. 

• Finding True Satisfaction:
  By surrendering our desires to God, we find true satisfaction and joy, even when life's circumstances are challenging. 

This is, essentially, our core recognition of our need for a savior that I am speaking of.  God gave us that gift, that need, so that we would ultimately have every opportunity to submit to Him, and experience life as He intended.

I think it's important to recognize, that when we consider "right and wrong", honoring God, versus honoring our selves: God is a good God, His desire is for relationship with us, and He is infinitely gracious (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, Psalm 33:11, 2 Peter 3:9, Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 3:5-6).  However, He is also jealous for us, and will do what only He can do to get our attention.  What may seem like desires that don't affect anyone else, or you may not even think they affect your walk with the Lord, when not in alignment with Him, will lead to destruction, and He will get our attention.  When you feel that conflict within, submit even what seems good, even what He may have called you to or given to you, back to Him.  You may have let it take too high a priority.

Consider Abraham and Isaac.  Even a child, whether a delightful one or one that requires much attention and discipline, can cause us to waiver in our allegiance to living as God would call us. Consider the call that is recorded in each of the gospels:  Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29, and in Luke 14:26.  When we are overly focused on our worldly relationships we are essentially attempting to serve two gods.  God wants us to recognize that when we choose His ways, we will be blessed.  Does that mean apart from our family?  Not necessarily.  Isaac was not actually sacrificed.  God has never asked anyone to actually kill their child, spouse, or another person as a sacrifice.  He is asking that our desires for earthly relationship come second to our desire for relationship with Him.  The more we listen to Him and live this way, the more blessed our earthly relationships can be.  God's "test" of Abraham's allegiance to Himself was not so much for God to see if Abraham would pass, but for Abraham to recognize a deep conviction to do God's will, and to ensure that priority would be passed on to his son in order for God's promise to come to fruition.  God had blessed Abraham with a promise that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 22:1-18), in Genesis 24, we see that Abraham wants to make sure that his descendants will desire to please the Lord and have godly help mates: He is coming in alignment with God's desires. 

Take in consideration, that it takes two for a relationship, and if the other is not in alignment with God, there will be a struggle still (you are not equally yoked), but it does not always mean you have to cut off relationship.  Just put God first.  Luke 4:8 tells us to "worship the Lord your God and serve Him only".  This truly is the only way to find your complete purpose as a human being, because then you are open to hearing His purpose for you, and you have the power that is of Him to do it (Philippians 4:13).