Delight

The joy in her eyes revealed the delight she felt. As I pondered the picture of my granddaughter looking at her daddy, I saw the unhindered pleasure in her facial expression. How many adults do we see with the same delight? It seems the cares of this world weigh us down preventing us from experiencing abounding joy in most areas of our lives. Do you experience delight in your life on a regular basis? Did you know God feels that enjoyment about you?

Ephesians 1:3-14 summarizes the beautiful plan of God for our salvation. Twice it mentions God created his plan “according to his good pleasure” (vs. 5, 9). He delighted in doing this for us. Despite the overwhelming cost of securing our redemption through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, He willingly did so because it brought Him delight. That is hard for my mind to fathom.

Why would God delight in me, going to such lengths to secure relationship with me? As I pondered this question, I found other scripture that confirmed God’s delight.

Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by this love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” He rejoices over me. He exults over me.

Psalm 147:11, “But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” He takes pleasure in me.

Psalm 18:19, “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” He delights in me.

This discovery of God’s delight in me impacts my relationship with Him. So often my first thoughts run something like this, “This can’t be true. I make so many mistakes. I don’t always obey His leading. I said some hurtful things to (fill in the blank). I didn’t read my Bible today.” The list goes on with all the ways I see myself as unworthy of His delight.

But God sees me through the work of His Son -- redeemed, beloved, holy, made in His image. When I align my thinking with God’s, a shift occurs in how I view myself. Joy, peace, faith, and unconditional love increase because of Christ’s work in my life. I gain confidence.

Confidence of who I am in Christ differs from arrogance. Arrogance focuses on what I can do. Confidence focuses on what Christ does through me. Arrogance comes from pride. Confidence comes through humility.

Thinking back to my granddaughter’s delight, I realize she demonstrates that delight because she completely trusts her earthly father. As we reflect on what He accomplished for us, our relationship with God builds on our trust in Him. That produces delight in us as well.

May we all rest in the knowledge that our Heavenly Father delights in us.