What Delights the Heart of God?

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

When I started thinking about today’s eDevotion, I was thinking about the joy God has brought to my life. From the spiritual, to the physical, to the emotional, I could list hundreds of things God has done that delighted my soul. And that got me to thinking, have I delighted the Lord too? 

How about you? Have you given much thought about bringing joy to God. It’s possible, you know. And, of course, Scripture tells us how to do it.

Repentance: Luke wrote, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety–nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” And then he added, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” [Luke 15.7, 10]. 

Confession/Truth Telling: When Achan sinned in the wilderness, Joshua confronted him with these words, “My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done” [Joshua 7.19].

Faith: Your faith is a source of pleasure to God. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” [Hebrews 11.6]. That’s a negative statement of a positive principle; faith pleases God.

Prayer: “The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but He delights in the prayers of the upright” [Proverbs 15.8]. 

Holiness: “I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness (integrity)” [1 Chronicles 29.17]. The Hebrew word for uprightness is an interesting one. It has to do with evenness and equity. Metaphorically, it means to have a level path, or a path of righteousness. Solomon added the idea that a “blameless walk” is a delight to God [Proverbs 11.20].

Look at those words again: Repentance, Confession, Faith, Prayer, Holiness. These things please God and are expressions of our love for Him. That is the idea behind all of them; we do these things because we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Your expression of love, whether by words of praise or by acts of obedience, brings joy to the heart of God. 

God almighty delights in you. Thrilling, isn’t it? It should be! Maybe that will motivate you to find as many ways as you can to bring joy to Him today. Your love for God brings Him joy!

Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their ways are His delight. Proverbs 11.20