“In These Things I Delight”
Jeremiah 9:24
Nothing gives me more pleasure and satisfaction than bringing delight to someone else. There is something delightful about giving delight. But, think about this - What do you suppose will give delight to the holy Lord God? There are three things specifically mentioned in the Bible as things that give delight to the Lord our God. Two of them will not surprise you, but the third one might.
First, the Lord God,
being perfect and complete, delights in his own glorious character. For any
man to delight in himself (as most do) is utmost arrogance and pride. But for God to do so is right, because he is God. Perfection
has reason to delight in itself. And God plainly asserts that he delights in
his own character (Jer.
Secondly, God delights in his Son (Isa. 42:1). Obviously, the Father delights in the Son as his co-equal in the holy trinity. But Isaiah 42:1 is describing the Father’s delight in the Son as his Servant in all his covenant engagements as our Mediator and Surety (Matt. 3:15; 17:5; John 10:15-18). The holy Lord God is delighted with the obedience of his Son unto death. It is this obedience by which his people are saved and his name is glorified in the earth (Heb. 10:5-14).
Thirdly, the Lord our God delights in his
people (Isa. 62:4-5). Imagine that - God delights in us! Be astonished, O
my soul! He does not, indeed, he cannot delight in us
personally. Neither can he delight in anything we do. But he does accept us,
delight in us, and rejoice over us in Christ (Zeph.
Don Fortner