PSALM 147:11 – But the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

THEME OF THE DAY. THOSE WHOM GOD TAKES PLEASURE IN. Think about this truth for a moment; the Creator of all things, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, and the God who holds everything together would actually take pleasure in human beings. Yes, we are His prize work of creation, but looking at ourselves, our sinfulness, selfishness, and forgetfulness of Him, it is really easy to think, “Why would He bother?” But He does. He really does. And get this . . . He doesn’t take pleasure in us because of our worth or goodness. We have neither. He does so because He does. He delights in us because He delights in us. Period. Don’t try to figure it out. Just rejoice and rest in this staggering truth.

However, there are a couple of things we must be aware of as revealed in today’s scripture about this truth. It is true God’s nature is to love us despite our obedience or disobedience. That doesn’t give us a license to live loosely and sinfully. Just the opposite. It makes us want to love Him back by our obedience. But in today’s scripture, we are exposed to two conditions for us to experience His pleasure toward us. We do have a responsibility in our fellowship with the Lord. So, if we want to know His pleasure, experience this soul-delight of walking with God in mutual love and enjoyment, there are two things we are responsible to pursue.

First, God takes pleasure and reveals Himself to the individual who fears Him. This fear is not slavish of being afraid of God. It is part of what He gives at new birth (Jeremiah 32:38-41). And this fear in the person God takes pleasure in will contain three things. There will be a hatred for what He hates – sin. Where the fear of God is present, sin is abhorred and fought against. Where the fear of God is lacking, sin is tolerated, even practiced. He takes no pleasure in His willfully sinning children. Another thing present in the heart of the individual fearing God and knowing His pleasure is a delight in holiness. The God-fearing individual loves purity, wants to be pure, fights against inward impurity, and longs to be like his or her holy Savior. Finally, where the fear of God controls the individual, a love for people is present. We simply cannot be in close fellowship with God and not love people. When walking in His fear, we begin to walk with His heart and His loving heart is on the lost and the building up of His people. God takes pleasure in those who fear Him.

Next, God takes pleasure, revealing Himself to the individual who hopes or trusts in His steadfast love. Now this might appear easy, but it is not. Allow me to explain. Have we ever doubted God’s love for us? Been through any deep waters of trial and start to question His love? What about when the devil and conscience reminds us of our many failings and sins and whisper, “How could God love such a failure?” The height of faith is to trust in the God who knows us better than we know ourselves and still loves us. Trust in His love requires a diligent fight to not look at ourselves, that only discourages us, but to constantly look unto Jesus. We fight to believe His love for us based on who He is, not on what we do or don’t do. And that is the type of person God takes pleasure in.

There will be nothing more satisfying to the soul than to experience the God who delights and takes pleasure in us. We can know this experience as we strive to meet the requirements for this experience; learning to walk in His fear and trusting His steadfast love for us despite what we know of ourselves.

PRAYER: “Father, make me the person whom You delight in by writing Your fear deeper in my heart and life.”

QUOTE: “To walk in the fear of the Lord and bask in His steadfast love defines the daily walk of His children.”