And their desire He gave to them.
The above verse (Psalm 78:29) is from a contemplative psalm describing how the Israelites repeatedly tested God's patience and infuriated Him. When He reacted in fury, they learned their lesson for a while, but it didn't stick. Verse 29 is a reference to Exodus 16:12-13, where, having heard His people grumble about missing the meat they'd had to eat when they were slaves in Egypt, the Lord decided to shower their camps with quail every evening. (They missed the meat but had forgotten about the slavery. ...The grass is always greener on the other side.)
As I was reading this psalm yesterday morning, I almost literally tripped over the ambiguity of the second line, "And their desire He gave to them." This means, He gave them what they desired, but it could also mean He gave them desire -- that is, He put in them a longing to eat. Eating is simply a biological function (we have to eat, so we want to eat), but God put this natural function in place to make sure we would eat. What if we were never hungry?
I read an intentional ambiguity in this verse, because it describes so well the prayer relationship God calls us to. It's a beautiful cycle of need and fulfilment. He puts the longing in us to meet with Him, to be fed by Him. The cycle doesn't begin to work properly until we respond, but even the desire to respond comes from Him. If we try to make ourselves hungry for Him (praying because it's what we "should" do), this will eventually fizzle out. Hunger for Him grows out of surrender -- a surrender the Holy Spirit Himself leads us to. If we are His but don't feel a need for Him, a need to surrender, He reserves the right to put that need in us in whatever way He sees fit. Look out -- this can get messy. Your life may be turned upside-down in a way that isn't comfortable. But it will also be turned upside-down in a way that leaves you deeply filled and satisfied by His presence.
The reason I mention this is that I am like the person in that famous hymn,"Prone to wander -- Lord I feel it -- prone to leave the God I love." If I did not come every day to worship and adore my King, I would begin to slip back into my own thoughts and ways. I know this. I know this because, without question, if someone is not coming before God virtually every day to worship Him in a meaningful, personal way, that person is living in the power of his or her own resources.
Here is the famous hymn I just referred to, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing." It was written in the 18th century by Robert Robinson (reference and lyrics here). The version I've linked to is one I just found today, sung beautifully by a duet I can't seem to find any information about, but the Lord receives their singing as sweet praise:
YouTube video "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing"
performed by Lindsy Morton and Joseph Schlegel
written by Robert Robinson
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My beloved, beloved King!
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.