God Delights in You
Nancy Raatz
My family, like most families out there, has a group chat. We share a lot of stupid memes and jokes, check in with travels, ask questions, share podcasts and recipes. There is rarely a serious conversation. We enjoy this place to share life since we are geographically distant from one another. Seventeen months ago, Penelope joined our chat. She’s not old enough to actually chat, but her mama regularly provides us with pictures, videos, and updates as she’s learned to walk, dance, and chatter. I can safely say she is the chat favorite. The general responses are “she’s the best,” “obsessed,” “queen,” “LOVE.” We can’t help but delight in this little person who has stollen our hearts.
Delight is not a word we often use in everyday language. We normally just like or love something. We prefer this over that. We enjoy and have favorites. It seems odd to say, “I delight in hiking the mountains.” It’s just not the way we speak. Why not? It simply means to take pleasure in something. I do delight in hiking mountains! I delight in time with my family. I delight in my granddaughter’s antics. I delight in a well-cooked meal.
If we grew up in the church, we know that delight is a word used in the Bible. We know Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” This verse is saying we can find pleasure in our relationship with Jesus. It isn’t a drain, but enjoyable. The desires of our hearts become His desires and passions. This isn’t saying you’ll get everything currently sitting in your Amazon cart! Rather, you will find joy and peace as you delight in Jesus. This joy and peace flows to others.
Delight is also used in the Bible to teach how God sees us. He delights in us, His children. That is stunning, to know how much God takes pleasure in who we are. We are His creation, His beloved children. Isaiah 62:4 says, “You will be called Hephzibah…for the Lord will take delight in you.” Hephzibah is one of those Bible names we don’t hear today. In fact, it’s pretty odd. When she was in middle school, one of my daughters tried to figure out what nickname a child named Hephzibah could be called. Heppy? Zibah? Heps? She thought she’d someday name a daughter Hephzibah. What on earth?! But she knew and loved the meaning: “My delight is in her.” This is a beautiful truth of Scripture. God delights in us! I don’t know if she will ever name a child Hephzibah, but she did put it in a framed piece of art on her wall. She understands God’s delight. We, too, need to let this get into our hearts: Jesus delights in His people.
Sometimes it is hard to believe God delights in me! I grew up believing God’s approval and love came from doing more and being good. I had to win His favor. My Christianity became about doing more and more. That is wearying. But the Bible doesn’t say, “He delights in you because you do this or that or because you haven’t done wrong today.” He delights in His children simply because we are His.
When we grasp this, it changes everything. Striving turns to joy, and that joy radiates out from us to others. This is how our lights shine for Jesus, and the world knows we are His.
You are God’s favorite, every one of you. He has the ability to have all of us as His favorites. He’s texting back, “You are the best,” “obsessed,” “queen,” “LOVE.” LOVE. He loves you so much. Know that in His great love for you, Jesus delights in you!