I learned many years ago that God’s love for us never changes. We do not have enough power or might to influence God’s eternal, everlasting, perfectly holy love. That is one of the most beautiful lessons I ever learned at the feet of Pastor Jim Gardiner. (After all, if we could change God’s love by our actions, His love would not be perfectly holy and He would cease to be the perfectly holy God.)
But I also learned that we are able to please God or displease Him. When our actions bring reproach to our Father God, He will chastise us because He loves us. So often we focus on this part of being a child of God … the discipline.
Today, however, I want to focus on the other side of that pleasure/displeasure principle. When our actions bring honor to our Father God, He delights in us.
“Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold on to His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love.” [Micah 7:18 HCSB]
God delights in, has pleasure with those who faithfully love Him. Think about that for a minute. Do you realize that is the same thing that Isaiah prophesied of the coming Messiah and which was applied to Jesus?
“Here is My Servant whom I have chosen, My beloved in whom My soul delights; I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.” [Matthew 12:18, Isaiah 42 HCSB]
God delighted in His Son. God delights in all those who exhibit faithful love for Him. I do not know what that stirs in your heart. I know what it stirs in mine. I long to have God’s pleasure with me. I want to do things which make His soul delight in me. I want to sense that joy every day. To have it, I realize, I must become more like His Son Jesus. Grant that, O LORD. Amen.
