Convicted by Isaiah

⁸ Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,^[a]
   we wait for you;
your name and renown
   are the desire of our hearts.
⁹ My soul yearns for you in the night;
   in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth,
   the people of the world learn righteousness. - Isaiah 26: 8-9

As Passion 2011 quickly approaches, I was reading over the theme for the Passion movement (though we are not attending this year).  As I read through the passage in Isaiah, a couple of things stuck out at me. Verse 8 ends with the phrase "your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." The desire of our hearts. Can we say that? Can I say that?  Above all else, do we (I) desire for God's name to be known?  Obviously as Christians, that is indeed something we desire, but how important is it to us in our daily lives?  Do we care more about God's glory or our pride? Our convenience? Our money? Our time?

Verse 9 talks of a soul that "yearns... in the night" and a spirit that longs for Him in the morning. It seems hard to say that truthfully when many times we struggle to "fit in" a quiet time.  I remember when my wife and I first started dating. I would stay awake all night if I had to, just to see her for a few minutes after work.  Thoughts of her consumed me all day long. Many of you can easily relate to those same feelings. Yet how many times do we forget to bring our tithe, or forget to say our rehearsed 10-second prayer before dinner, or let people walk right by because we're nervous or afraid to be seen as a "Jesus Freak?"

I say this not to point fingers or condemn. I say this because I know that this is something I have battled.  However, when we love God and are loved by Him, it is truly an amazing thing.