Everything Our Heart Desires
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:1-2
Insight
A year or so ago, my wife and I were talking to our oldest daughter Madison at the dinner table when the topic of boys came up. She grinned and reminded both of us that she was now sixteen and that our archaic dating rule had now expired. Maybe Madi noticed the fear in my eyes or a queasy feeling taking over my face, but she took out a notebook and reassured us that she put a great deal of thought into what she was looking for in a prospective suitor.
Being a protective dad who's not ready for his little girl to grow up, I breathed a sigh of relief when Madi rattled off all the prerequisites that any boy would have to live up to if he stood any chance of her saying "yes" to a date, let alone a relationship. The longer she went on with her list, the better I felt. I didn't have the heart to break it to her, but the perfect man she described doesn't exist.
Her standards are unbelievably high. No matter how great a guy he might be, he will inevitably miss the mark. Sadly, when it comes to what we devote our lives to, direct our attention towards, and place our trust in, we aren't nearly as thoughtful and reflective as Madi.
We give our heart to lesser things. We settle for cheap imitations bound to let us down and hurt us in the end. Like the song says, we often look for love "in all the wrong places."
Because we've experienced hurt in our quest for fulfillment, purpose, and love, we become jaded, hesitant to give our heart to anyone or anything else. We're fearful of another heartbreak. We reason that nothing in this world can meet our longings, which would be a correct assumption. As a result, we give up the search and settle for the mundane, status-quo, and predictable.
But, there is someone worthy of our affection and devotion - a person who checks off every characteristic, and His name is Jesus. He is caring, kind, and compassionate. Wise, understanding, and thoughtful. Forgiving, merciful, and patient. Strong, consistent, and dependable. The list goes go on and on.
The prophet Isaiah, in today's passage, foretells the coming savior, the long-awaited Messiah. Back then, the Israelites were much like us - longing for someone to put their hope in and lead them. They had a list of what they hoped for, and thankfully, He is so much more than could be hoped for or imagine. Open your heart up to Him today.
Reflection
Re-read Isaiah's description of Jesus. How does his description make you feel?
Which characteristic do you find most encouraging and why?
Prayer
God, You are everything my heart desires. All my longings find their fulfillment and completion in You. May I be reminded of this reality when tempted to look to the world for purpose, meaning, and hope. You never disappoint. You never let me down. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.