Psalm 37:4 English Standard Version (ESV) Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Is it right to get what we want? An improper understanding of scripture will sometimes lead one to think they can have what they want if they believe in God. Key to a proper understanding of this scripture is in delighting ourselves in the Lord.

The Hebrew phrase “delight yourself in the Lord” has a definition which calls for a softening or pliability. Soft and pliable is related to being shaped, as clay in the hands of our maker.

Jeremiah 18:4 English Standard Version (ESV) And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

The desires of our hearts are granted to those whose hearts have been changed to love what our creator loves.

Given that we have been changed and accepted His Lordship and His Word as gospel, can we expect now that the desires of our hearts be granted? Then perhaps we should look to God’s word and see what He loves that we should desire ourselves.

I want an end to war. His word says that there will always be wars and rumors of wars. We cannot be granted the desires of our heart that are counter to God’s Word. We cannot make God a liar.

I want an end to poverty. His word says we will always have the poor among us. We cannot make God a liar.

I want an end to bigotry and racism. God gave man free will and we cannot undo what God has done.

I want the Lord to come and collect His bride. Now that is something we can all bring about by doing the will of the Lord. He will not come and collect His bride until the last soul that comprises His bride has accepted Him. Witness to the lost.

Jeremiah 50:24 English Standard Version (ESV) I set a snare for you and you were taken, O Babylon, and you did not know it; you were found and caught, because you opposed the Lord.

Chess has so many different opportunities to take advantage of an opponent that they have names. Gambit, swindle, trap, forks, pins, and the least favorite for beginners, the sacrifice.

While looking for a scripture to relate to these chess moves I found this passage in Jeremiah. A snare is a trap and traps in chess are only good if you know ones opponent well enough to offer one. They can go terribly bad if they do not work.

Here is the problem with playing chess with the Lord, He already knows the outcome. He not only knows how it will end but He knows what tactic to use in every situation.

The best chess players have studied all the openings, all the variations, analyzed their opponent and know how best to place them in a position where they are left with nothing but bad choices.

Now the Lord gave us free will and we may or may not discover we have made a series of bad choices and life has taught us how it feels to be on the losing side.

This is an opportunity to get on the winning side and listen to the One who knows how things will end and lead you through life and avoid the traps of life.

Free will is a tricky thing. We are free in Christ and we no long have to listen to the schemes of the devil but knowing that does not remove the mine field of life. Making the right move now does not mean our next footfall isn’t going to blow up on us.

The enemy knows who is complacent in their freedom. He has seen it before, he has studied human nature.