Delight In

Last night as I sat with my wife in Starbucks and listened to the man behind complain that Starbucks is the worst coffee in the world(clearly since they are failing as a business). I was completely blown away that if it is the worst coffee in the world, why was he here? I saw then when I discreetly turned around that he was with what appeared to be his adult children. I saw that he was there, to be with them. Granted, saying something like that to the children who brought you to this place is kinda a "jerk" move, but it showed that there father wanted to be there despite the oppression of the 'worst coffee' on the planet.

This preceded a discussion with my wife about whether God likes us. I mean we all know that God loves us.

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong.

Yes! Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.

The question then is whether God likes us. I mean we struggle with our family and we deal with them because they are a family but most of us wouldn't be friends with them if we were to just meet them in the street or in our lives. I know I wouldn't (no offense family, I like now that I know you). So when we think of God we sometimes put ourselves in the 'family we have to deal with' category. Does it diminish his love? No. His love is complete and amazing and could never be diminished. But I believe that if we believe that God's relationship with us is only love we would miss out on something big.

Knowing that God likes us or delights in us is a powerful, powerful possession. With it we gain more value, confidence, and security. When we know that God likes us, it validates who we are. If God likes us, then I could care less if anyone else does(if I truly understand the implications for my value in God's eyes). Here is an example from the Bible. Adam and Eve, perfect relationship with God. Walking through the garden and interacting with God everyday. God communicated that he delighted in them and they gained their self esteem from him. Boom! sin happens and what is the reaction of Adam and Eve? 'We are naked!" hmmmm then they hid from God. When that relationship broke they began to need affirmation from other sources and they were no longer secure in who they were.

Had they lost value? I don't know that they did. Their relationship was damaged but was it because they were no longer able to engage with God like they had because of their sin or that God was no longer able to engage with them because of their sin? I am struggling with that difference. Anyways the point is that they still had value and God did not stop liking them. He created them as a delight, "it is good". They still give God delight. YOU give God delight, I give God delight. God like me, as I was, as I am , and as I will be.

Psalms 18:19b "he rescued me because he delighted in me."

God sent Jesus to the earth because he loved the world, he loved us. Jesus who was the ultimate savior(rescuer) came and died for us because he loved us. Because of that sacrifice, we have value. The thing is, we don't just have value because Jesus died for us. We have value in that we are created by God and he delights in how we are made. He likes us. Psalms didn't say "he rescued me so that someday he could delight in me" it says that he delighted in me and so he rescued me.

God likes you.