Worshipful Wednesday: Fickle Emotions & Delighting in God! - Denise Pass

Psalm 21:6

“For you grant him lasting blessings; you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24

23 “The Lord says, “Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich. 24 If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,” says the Lord.”

Psalm 16:11

11 You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight.

We tend to be a fickle bunch.  Enamored by people with fame, as if they are superhuman, we can neglect the obviously greatest gift right in front of us.  Human affection can fade over time.  The once charming quirks can become stale annoyances, to those who have forgotten to cherish the gift in the relationships that God has given.  The love that was once so ardent can lose its joy and be replaced with dutiful care, if it is not guarded, nourished and recognized.

So it is with our relationship with God.  We forget how amazing He is and trade His majesty for counterfeits that were never meant to bring lasting joy.  Reflecting on what we have delighted in formerly can help to stir the praise that God is so worthy of and also serve in our human relationships, as well.  Gratitude for all that God does for us daily is another catalyst for genuine love, admiration and delight.

God made us – ok, this is an obvious one, but do we thank Him daily for our mere presence?  Life is an astounding gift and the fact that He made us each unique in His image, all for His glory ought to amaze us.  Every little detail that went into making each one of us is so far beyond human intellect could ever design.  But He went beyond that and bore all of our sins, too.  What kind of God would provide such loving care and thoughtfulness?

The Psalmist experienced absolute (complete) joy in God’s presence.  I want that kind of life in my relationship with God ALL the time.  Just like we need to invest in our earthly relationships to derive more fulfillment, more time with God is where we become closer.  Contemplating all he has done and His perfect, Holy character helps develop worship that is due Him.  Maybe now is a good time to do so.

What kind of God is He?  Holy, long-suffering, merciful, kind, all-knowing, our Healer, our Redeemer, our Savior, forgiving, loving, the God Who sees and hears, who chose us in Him before the foundations of all the earth!  Oh, and the one who made every aspect of the creation that surrounds us.  My heart is stirred this morning to consider that just to be allowed into His presence is enough, but then He fills us with insight and wisdom and unconditionally loves us.  I am overwhelmed by a God like that.

Lord, help us to quiet the noise all around us and reflect on Your beauty.  You are more than I could ever describe or give adequate worth to.  May we pause and glorify You throughout the day in each moment.  Thank you that we can come to You!