Sometimes I’d be staring at my girls and they’d say, “what?” I stare at them because I love them so much. I delight in them. My heart swells up in joy when I see them. I love it when they sit on me and we watch Korean dramas together! =)

Then, why do I have such a hard time believing that God delights in me?

How often do you think God delights in you versus He’s disappointed in you?

For me, although I don’t consciously think God is disappointed in me, I do not think He’s delighted in me either. But I want God to delight in me. Therefore, I find myself subconsciously trying to “earn” His favor by working hard, taking care of church members (since this will delight God), tending to my family, faithfully carrying out my responsibilities at church whether I feel like it or not. But it dawned on me that most of the time, I’m doing the work really to earn God’s favor to MAKE Him delight in me, rather than operating out of His already delighting in me!

But what delights God truly? Is it my effort to do things for Him that delights Him? Or is it resting in what He has done for me and depending on Him that delights Him? I believe it is both. But if I have to pick one over the other, God delights more in doing things for me than my doing things for Him. At least the order must be that that must be first.

Ps. 147:10-11 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

“The strength of the horse” and “the legs of a man” represent human effort. “Those who fear him” and “hope in his steadfast love” represent resting in God and depending on HIS effort to crown us as princes and princesses!

Have you pondered the fact that the Lord delights in you if you are His child? And it is not because of your self-effort. It is not because you have met Him half-way through spiritual discipline. It is not because you stayed away from really bad stuff of the world. It is simply because He has saved you and made you His child!

Ps. 149:4 “For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;

he adorns the humble with salvation.”

He delights in you! He delight in me! Right now, He’s looking at us and He’s all smiles just like when I look at my girls, I’m all smiles

The Lord delights in you! Put your hope in Him!

PH