Psalm 147:10-11 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Eph 5:7-10 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Reading Psalm 147 this morning I was captivated with one thought...knowing that "the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love." Specifically that the "Lord takes pleasure." Pause for a moment and consider that the sovereign God of the universe, the one who gave names to every star and was not stressed in the process, the one who Isaiah tells us holds the oceans in the hollow of HIS hand, the one who's thoughts out number the grains of sand...I could go on and on...the point is that this very magnificent and awe striking God takes pleasure in something...HE finds delight in something...God delights, "the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love."
I will confess that I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, or the brightest crayon in the box, but when Paul tells me in Ephesians to try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, I get that...I understand that it is wise to learn what it means that "the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love."
The fear of the Lord is to hold an intense and powerful reverence and awe of who God is and what HE has done in and through the Cross as HE offers HIS steadfast love to those who place their hope in HIM. Remember Jesus words in Matt 9:13, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Jesus was quoting Hosea 6:6, "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
We do not impress God with what we bring to the table, HE is not impressed with our skill sets or our intellect or our business savvy...HE does not need us, we need HIM! HE did not create us because HE was lonely...HE created us to see HIM, to behold HIM and in that moment to be filled with awe striking reverence, amazed at HIS majestic power and then in response to seeing HIS glory we worship, we fall on our faces as though dead and worship the King of kings and Lord of Lords.
Amazingly, as we behold HIM we become like HIM...Is 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Ps 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
Rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice!
love,
m