Satisfication

"If only people could have all this and be satisfied."

It was a cold February afternoon and the girls and I were snuggled in watching Disney's Swiss Family Robinson. I have always loved this movie, but on this day a particular conversation triggered an emotional response I wasn't quite ready for.

The father makes the above statement to the mother as he and his boys are swimming and cliff jumping in a beautiful lagoon. The water there is clean, the plants tropical and everything they could ever need or want is at their fingertips. Yes, they have to work hard to survive, but what a place it is! This man is working HARD to convince mother they could stay here forever.

While the mother seems to take the practical approach, just like I would, the father keeps pushing. He keeps pointing out the island will give them everything they could ever NEED! In his mind there is no reason to leave.

The mother is a different story. She is thinking about her boys, their future, their desire to go to college, marry and to live a life off of that island. I think she liked the idea of an extended vacation, but was looking forward to getting back to civilization and to the modern conveniences she was accustomed to.

When I watched this scene, I immediately thought of Psalm 145, my memory project for the first part of 2010. Verses 15-16 were what stuck out to me.

"15.The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
16.You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."

At the proper time. That would be God's time not necessarily OUR time. Boy oh boy could I tell you stories about this!

You open your hand. I love the concept of God opening his holy hand and extending it to us. In that hand is everything we need. Oh to have the heart to wait on him to extend it. Reminds me of Isaiah 59:1 (ESV) "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear,"

and satisfy the desires of every living thing. This is the one that sends me to my knees. You see, I have this list of "wants" or desires. Some of them are spiritual like praying for God's will to be done in a particular area. Others are just plain fun, like a picnic table for our back patio. :)

I'm learning to be satisfied with what God provides, when He provides it. Verse 19 of Psalm 145 says, "He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them."

I keep hearing one of the points from the Beth Moore simulcast last fall. She said that beneath the desires of our hearts, is our hearts desires. (Forgive me if that is totally NOT the word for word, I can't find my notes!)

God has been prompting me to ask Him to change my desires. My prayer is becoming "God, be my one consuming desire." Through sermons, music, conversation God is reminding me that regardless of earthly circumstances, when I choose to keep Him first I will see His hand in ways I can't even begin to imagine.

I can say that I am satisfied with Jesus. As verse 21 of Psalm 145 says, may my mouth speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His Holy name forever and ever.

This beautiful little town we live in may not have a tropical lagoon with fruit bearing trees surrounding it but...

It is where God has positioned us for this time. This is where we must be. SO, for this girl it is a tropical paradise. THIS is where God is extending His hand and satisfying the desire of my heart. I wouldn't trade it for the world.