Delight

I LOVE GOD. Talking about Him, hearing about Him, reading about Him, and thinking about Him are the greatest pleasures of my existence. I was thinking about Joel Osteen the other day when I saw the cover of one of his books. His smile was so big it was about to split his face wide open. The name of the book, I cannot remember, but it was something about the joy of the Lord and finding strength in God. As I turned the book over I thought, "This man delights in God too!" How can that be?! He seems happy to talk about God. He has devoted countless hours to writing about God and teaching things about Him. He seems overall delighted in his relationship with God. I think that it is fair to say that if I asked him what he enjoyed the most he would say that God was what he enjoyed the most. So I was wondering and asking God the difference was between my delight in God and Joel's?

It is a good thing to delight in the Lord, and Scriptures talk about it numerous times. David talks about how much he loves God and delights in His commands. Also, Psalm 14:1 "A fool hath said in his heart there is no God". Even Darwin was blown away with the brilliant design of the eyeball, and himself said that considering evolution when looking at the eyeball was... absurd. Of course only God could have created that! So basically the fact that I delight in God just shows me that I am not stupid. Even people who don't believe in God find Him amazing. And there I was thinking that Joel and I were something for delighting in God. Pshaw! There was needed hit to my pride. :-) God is a brilliant Creator, perfectly perfect; He mightily mighty; He is justly just; He is honestly honest, and this list goes on. Who couldn't delight in that?! THAT is humbling and rightfully so!!

So all this brought me to an entirely new question: The question is not who delights in God... The question is who does God delight in? Jeremiah 9:23-24 is just one of the verses that lets us know what God delights in.

"Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

And as it says in Jeremiah 9:23 and 24, and in many other places in the scripture God delights in steadfast love, justice and righteousness. He hates selfishness, unjust behavior, and unrighteous acts, thoughts, etc,. The only one that God could possibly delight in is Christ. By this standard Joel Osteen and Grace Chambers are what my brother would call "Epic Failures". On the other hand, Christ is the only one who meets that standard of being steadfastly loving, just, and righteous. God recognized this, and told us all through His Word (several times) that He did delight in His Son. "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17, 12:18, 17:5, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22) To gain the delight of God we must be sinless as Christ, which is what Christ made possible at the cross for those who will repent of the way we want to live and will give our life to follow Him. Sadly this just might be where Joel and I are different... Anyone can delight in God, but to gain the delight of God that is what is truly important.

Matthew 7:22-23 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

So the point of sharing this whole thing is this: Are you one who delights in God, but finds that God cannot delight in you? You aren't the only one. God has said that many people delight in Him, in His strength and power, but He finds no delight in them, because of their sin. (Matthew 7:23, and 25:41)The difference between you and them is that you are on this side of judgement and you can find forgiveness and freedom from sin now, through Christ. Don't delay. It truly is a delight to know that I not only can delight in God now but that I will be able to delight in Him throughout all eternity.