Be Lord of our desires

What contradictory desires pass through our minds every day! All the more precious, therefore, to pray with the psalmist for the Lord to ‘unite’ our heart and teach us His way and to so that we can walk in His way in His truth. (Psalm 84:11 ESV) Rather than pressurising ourselves to restlessly pursue a multitude of illusory things, may the Lord sift, shape and focus our desires on the one thing that matter most, loving and serving Him, and to pray for Him to 'cleanse the thoughts and desires of our hearts.’ You may well benefit by listening to this piece more than once to steep yourself in its message.It opens with a brief glimpse of John Milton’s beautiful hymn ‘Let us with a gladsome mind praise the Lord for He is kind; for His mercies shall endure, ever faithful, ever sure.’ Only one verse because Milton actually wrote 24! Why not go on after that to ponder Frederick Faber's moving poem 'Desire for God' which celebrates the power of ‘beautiful pining,’ and hints that a deep, wistful craving for God is a truly precious act of worship in His sight. None honours God like the thirst of desire . . . Then pray for desire, for love’s wistfullest yearning, For the beautiful pining of holy desire; Yes, pray for a soul that is ceaselessly burning With the soft fragrant flames of this Thrice happy fire. For the heart only dwells, Truly dwells with its treasure, And they who love God cannot love Him by measure, For their love is but hunger to love Him still better. For the lack of desire is the ill of all ills; God loves to be longed for, He loves to be sought, For He sought us Himself with such longing and love: He died for desire of us, marvellous thought! And He yearns for us now to be with Him above