The Heart That Takes Pride In You
Devotional Reading: You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. Isaiah 62:3-4 ESV
When Abraham dreamt the dream God was dreaming through him, it wasn’t easy but his belief in the LORD was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4: 3). When Moses tuned his heart to God’s dream of the deliverance of His people to the Promised Land, it wasn’t easy; the murmur against him by his own kin made the LORD in anger, ask “were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”(Numbers 12: 8). When Mary, innocent as she was, took to carry the Promise in her womb, she was dreaming with the Creator of beauty beyond measure to overtake the fallen World by grace and faith alone. Supernatural as it may feel, all these stories, all these life journeys, were the result of an eternal delight.
The same delight shines on us, because the Heart that takes everlasting pride in us is the Heart that see us trusting Him as He gently but firmly shapes us to His Love, to His dream, to His Story. Trust is the most challenging aspect of faith, and let me assure you, God sees us in every sacrifice we make, in every silent tear, in every sleepless night, in every innocent and enthusiastic effort we take for His glory.
Job trusted the LORD, and the LORD trusted him too – in such a measure that He took pride in the innocent, holy and enthusiastic heart of a mortal man challenging even Satan to try pick on Job. And Job guarded the pride of a loving God, proving Him right. What joy Heaven must’ve had. I am sure God must’ve shed tears in seeing the pure love of intimate intimacy of Job. God delights in us so much so that He trusts us and He takes pride in us.
Our hopes and dreams might not always work, but His will. That is why we need to keep tuning our hearts to hear Him afresh. He who started a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1: 6) Why is this important for us to know? Why is it important that we grasp it now? Everything in the headlines shows us how devastating and tragic uncertainties can be. But hold on – because He delights in you.
When the LORD delights in you, the World is not going to make it easy for you. That’s why Jesus prayed the High Priestly prayer (John 17: 1 – 26). When your trust to the LORD is mocked by your friends, when evil sets trap to abuse purity, when goodwill is questioned, when character is brutally tested, when holiness is seen as a weakness, when innocence is exposed, when faith is the reason for people’s rejection – be glad and keep shining in holiness, love and beauty. You are more than you think you are – you are His pride, a crown of glory in His Hand, a royal diadem in the palm of Your God. Rejoice, because the LORD greatly delights in you.
Prayer and Confession
Jesus thank you because I am your choice and the one in whom is your delight.
Further Reading: Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 37:23
