The Target of God’s Delight

I greatly enjoy listening to podcasts. Anyone else? Instead of one or two that I always listen to, I have fifteen or more that I listen to sporadically. Dumb podcasts make me laugh. Educational podcasts grow me. Professional or personal podcasts challenge me. A rare few make me pause and meditate on them for a while. This happened to me recently.

One of my favorite Media podcasts had a guest, speaking about the development of his professional and personal life. He told a story that illustrated a powerful truth he needed to learn this past season. He said, “Somewhere in the world today, a flower withered and died. No person ever saw its beauty. Yet, it fulfilled the purpose God had for it. God delights in that flower.”

Maybe flowers are not your thing, so imagine all the unique animals that have probably lived and gone extinct that humans never experienced. My initial reaction is, “What a waste. What’s the purpose?” It’s natural to make the world about humanity. But that’s not what ANY of creation is about. All of creation brings glory to God. Even if you and I never see it. You don’t need to acknowledge it. God still delights in it. I believe that some of the most beautiful scenery, animals, and natural phenomena have come and passed with God as the only one to experience them. He delights in his creation.

Despite how much He loves creation, there is no created thing He takes pride in more than you and I. People were the pinnacle of creation. When we look in the mirror we may not feel that way. However, just like the flower, you do not have to see it for God to delight in it. God delights in the things you’ve done for Him and others that people will never know you did. God delights in moments you’ve spent alone laughing, growing, or pursuing him that no one else participated in besides you and God. IF we can change our view of ourselves, one another, and our world to match God’s, we will not live the same lives.

I pray that this sinks in for all of us. Allow your actions to be guided by the delight your creator has of you. Not by compliments or adoration of others that will turn against you the moment you fail to live up to their expectations. Instead, delight in yourself the way God does. He delights in your very existence. Like a flower who was never appreciated by people, but was only the target of God’s love.

“For the Lord, takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” Psalm 149:4

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female, he created them. . . . God saw all that he had made and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27 & 31