MICAH 7:18-20 – Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
THEME OF THE DAY. WAYS GOD DELIGHTS IN US. Before we continue in today’s nugget, stop and do two things. First, meditate on this verse – He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me (Psalm 18:19). Drink long at this refreshing well of God’s goodness in delighting in us. The second thing to do is be overwhelmed, humbled, and in awe that the God of all creation and grace would choose to delight in us. So, after a few minutes of this wonderful exercise, continue in today’s nugget and recognize these four ways God delights in us from today’s scripture.
First, God delights in forgiving our iniquities and transgressions – Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression. Our God is not a “reluctant forgiver.” Who takes the initiative in salvation? Not us. He does. And if He doesn’t, we don’t experience the liberation of forgiveness. Don’t blaspheme the Lord by questioning His delight and will to forgive us all iniquities, sins, and transgressions.
Next, our God delights in loving us – He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us. Why does God love us? Because He does. Because He is love (1 John 4:8). We are not loved by Him because we are good, deserve His love, or earn His love. In fact, everything about us as sinners from birth warrants not His love, but His wrath. Yet, God delights in loving us. Why? Because He does. Rejoice in this amazing truth.
A third way God delights in us is by fighting our spiritual battles – He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Remember, the battles we fight are not ours – And that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand (1 Samuel 17:47). Who is our chief foe in the spiritual battles we fight? The devil, the accuser of our souls (Revelation 12:10). He accuses of past sins. He accuses us of present sins. He seeks to discourage us in our walks with the Lord. And to our rescue comes the God who delights in going to war for us and with us. He arms us with His armor (Ephesians 6:10-18). He leads us into battle as the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10). So when the spiritual battle is raging in our hearts and minds, stop and remember God delights in leading us to victory.
Finally, God takes great delight in demonstrating His steadfast faithfulness to us – You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. He takes pleasure in keeping His covenant promises. Why? What happens when we take time to remember God’s faithfulness, even in those times we struggled with faithfulness? We worship. We give praise. We thank Him for being our faithful God, and in those expressions of love to Him, God takes great delight. May we be overwhelmed today and each day with the truth God delights in us, not for our sake, but His!
PRAYER: “Father, thank You for taking delight in Me for Your Son’s sake and Your glory.”
QUOTE: “As we learn to see how God delights in us, we, in turn, learn to delight in Him.”