God Delights in Pleasing Us

Pam and her husband were remembering what a difficult year their daughter is having as she teaches a group of 8th graders. As they were praying for her, they suddenly had the idea of sending her flowers. They became excited thinking about how happy she would be when she receives her flowers. Then Pam added, “I think God must get excited when He knows He is going to be doing something special for us.”

God tells us that He, too, loves to lavish blessings on His children. When He grants us an answer to prayer or a special benefit, He wants us to remember it is coming from a God who is rejoicing because He can do us good. “I will rejoice in doing them good...with all my heart and with all my soul” (Jeremiah 32:41). The psalmist said, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27).

God created us for His pleasure (Rev. 4:11), and God never does anything in vain. We do what we were created to do—we give Him pleasure! His purposes are always fulfilled.

So what gives joy to God? An opportunity to show us love. His love is not dependent upon our earning it. He is only sad when we doubt it. Jesus told Marjory Kemp, a 34-year-old widow, “More pleasing to me than all your prayers, sacrifices and good words is that you would believe I love you.” The lyrics in Rita Springer’s song titled “There Is No Striving,” say we cannot earn His affection because we can’t earn something that is free. All He asks is that we believe.

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:17-19).

Dear Jesus, may we experience Your love, so we will be filled with all the fullness of God.