Does God Care?

He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry for help and saves them.

Psalm 145:19

Today's devotional talks about how when we decided to follow Jesus, we laid down everything in our lives before Him. Romans 12:1 says we became living sacrifices, surrendering our lives - including our dreams and desires-to God. The writer asks the question, does that mean every single desire we ever have is wrong? She answer with a resounding NO, not at all. She goes on to say that God doesn't want us to be passionless and dreamless. The anchor verse tells us that God wants to work through our desires, and some of the dreams and desires we have are from Him. She goes on to talk about how sometimes the Holy Spirit actually works through us by changing and moving our hearts, and our desires. But if we have a stranglehold on our desires we close ourselves off to God, and miss out on things God has for us. She also talks about how some people deny the interest, gifts, talents, and passions that God put inside of them because they think they're supposed to "deny themselves". She explains that what happens is that they keep dismissing God every time He tries to work through their desires because they assume their desires aren't from Him.

I have certainly experience God changing my desires and moving my heart in His direction for my life. A few years ago I could have never imagined myself working with teenagers. They frustrated me beyond all belief, and I didn't really know how to relate. However, my husband and felt the call to attend our first mission trip with the youth of our church. That first trip was a little rough, for a variety of reasons, but over the past couple of years of working with the youth, I have found that my heart has changed, and I am figuring out ways to connect with them. I love working the youth, it really is the last place I ever thought I would be serving, but this is where God has called me, and He has equipped me for His service by changing my heart.

Steps of Faith:
Father, You know all the desires of my heart. Please help me to know which desires are from You and let me put the rest aside so I can follow Your perfect will for me.

Deeper Walk:
Psalm 145 NAS
Theme: A time will come when all people will join together in recognizing and worshipping God because God is full of love, He satisfies all who trust in Him.
Author: David

I will extol You, my God, O King. And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

The Lord is greacious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power; to make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.