Just writing out that scripture elicits a feeling of security, comfort and assurance in my soul. It is one of those passages that the Lord has used early and often in my life, to prove Himself to me, to prove His unending love, to prove His all-knowingness. The key thoughts that I pulled from this phrase upon reading it were TRUST (in the Lord), DO GOOD (while dwelling where He has planted us), DELIGHT (in Him, in His name) and then the kicker: do these, and He will give you the DESIRES of your heart.
What is even difficult about these things? Or should I ask, unenjoyable? Consciously trusting God is enjoyable and deeply satisfying. Doing good “unto” others is incredibly gratifying. Delighting in Him — verbally talking to others, or dancin’ and rappin’ in the dark to praise music or just cheering on godliness when we see it around us — all of this is heart-filling and life-giving. So, the things He asks us to do, the predecessors (trust, do good and dwell), are good food for us to spiritually feast on.
The kicker comes when He gives us the desires of our heart and we experience a pure exchange, when rightly applied. This is not about what “I” want. It’s not some grubby, selfish grab-of-a-bucket list item, per se. It rather speaks to how He made us, what He meant when He formed us in our mother’s womb and thought about us from the foundation of the earth — that we were created to fulfill His purpose (Ephesians 2:10). When this happens, it may momentarily appear to be about us, but in reality, it is about Him! It points to Him and reflects His glory!
My most memorable experience of this scripture has to do with an MVP and me. The MVP was a young man whom the National Football League had just crowned as its Most Valuable Player. He wore #37 in the sea blue and bright green of the Seattle Seahawks. I found myself exchanging ministry boasts with this newly minted MVP, in the locker room of Seahawks Stadium, on a non-game day, alone, just the two of us. Truly a God moment.
As a kid growing up in North Carolina, I had been a Seahawks fan all my childhood. Another Christian on this Seattle team, wearing #10, had caught my eye in those early years because he would not back down during daunting circumstances. Little did I know that this was the beckoning of the Holy Spirit, through him to me.
Back to the moment: I was trying to get credibility with the Christian Television network, trying to form a show for young people, trying to do a unique ministry. My love for football and my passion for media ministry had inexplicably, but explicably, crossed. I received a call from KTBW, a local Christian station, telling me they needed me to do an interview with the reigning NFL MVP. That had been the desire of my heart and now I realized that these two avenues were crossing. Because I had trusted, been faithful to do good and had been delighting in the Lord, God showed up and gave me the desires of my heart!
The day was a God version of “magical.” I met the MVP outside the stadium, where we were to do the interview on the field. We sat in his vehicle and talked about his contract renewal that had happened just hours before. Sorry ESPN, you’ve been scooped. I was the first to know! Amidst the occasional fan-yelp from vendors across the street or maintenance men inside the stadium, we strode to the locker room where he had his ‘interview getup.’ I kid you not, WE TALKED ABOUT JESUS THE ENTIRE WAY!
Full discloser: I knew him before this interview. We shared a mentor. I met him at our church offices and interacted with him a few times before and after that. All that “designed intersection” was paying off today! I was the only one that KTBW could turn to that would be a relaxed and special interview for the MVP. ALL to the Glory of God. ALL because of the Glory of God.
We got out on the field, and the synergy was apparent. We were both, in our own way, in our own circumstances, praising God with all we had. Delighting in Him. Celebrating Him. And in a perfect nod, the kind that only God can pull off, I asked the MVP what his favorite verse was, live recording. I did not know the answer to this. Can you guess what he said?
THERE WAS A REASON HE WORE #37. As he recited Psalm 37:3-4, I smiled SO deeply inside. “Lord, you’re a genius! I mean, really!” The interview clip took off, was a highlight for the network and was a highlight in my life. It is but one example of Psalm 37:3-4 bearing out in my life. I believe that, in the lives of “the called” (Romans 8:28), this formula for God’s glorification repeats many, many times. I believe it serves as a proof text of God’s faithfulness to us and our lives. It is another validation of His all-powerful, all-knowing control of all things on Earth and beyond.
Whatever you are dealing with today, He has a reason for it, and He will bring it toward His own glorification. In a super-unique way. Unique to you! Our job is simple: Trust, Do Good, Delight. Repeat.
By making you His MVP in your moment, He confirms that JESUS is the MVP of all time.