September 15, 2010
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Identity #35 – I Bring God Joy
Have you ever delighted in someone? Something about seeing the person, whether they are a child or a loved one, brings a warmth and a joy to the heart. And the more you delight in them, the more you want to see them and be with them.
Throughout the Bible God tells us the He delights in us (for example: Psalm 18:19, Psalm 147:11, Psalm 149:4, Isaiah 62:4, Zephaniah 3:17). In fact, the end of Zephaniah 3:17 reads like this, “He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (NKJV). But the Hebrew for “with singing” is actually more literally translated as, “with shouts of joy.” So not only do we bring God enough joy for Him to sing over us, He actually desires to shout or give a resounding cry of joy over us. We mean that much to Him! It’s almost humorous to think of God loving us so much that He shouts for joy and sings over us. He can’t hold it in! We are His treasure!
And a beautiful part about a number of these verses is that they follow verses of promise of God’s redemption and restoration after His people have fallen away in sin. In other words, God’s joy for us isn’t dependent upon how “good” or “not good” we perform, but is based on His innate love for who we are and who He made us to be. He made us in His image, each with a unique set of fingerprints and unique personalities, talents, and callings. And the sight of us, each set apart from one another, each clothed in His grace and reflecting His image, brings Him great joy! He loves us so much that He sent His own Son to die for us. This is how much He delights in us.
You bring God great joy! He delights in you! Amen!
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I was lost, but now I’m found
Now I know the sweetest sound
Father’s love and hope surround
Here’s my homeEdge Kingsland – Coda
