“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147:10-11
Yesterday, my daughter said, “Mommy, I know that you will always love me forever. Your love for me will never ever change.” This statement simply delighted me. To hear my seven-year-old reveal her trust in my love satisfied me deeply; it settled deep into my heart.
When I watch this child run, I smile. When I her laugh as she jumps on a trampoline, I laugh along with her. When I hear her read, I rejoice. The speed of this child, the joy of this child, and the accomplishments of this child – I am thankful for each of these.
But when I hear her say she knows I will love her always – well, that does something different in my heart and mind. Her words reveal trust and hope and security.
These verses today remind me that just as my daughter who said, “I know you will always love me forever. Your love will never ever change” is adopted, I too am adopted by God. Do I rest in God’s unchanging love for me so that my identity squarely rests in the Truth that I am His child, regardless of what I accomplish?
What does the Lord delight in? Our strength? Our accomplishments? Our speed? Our intelligence? Yahweh God, the Great I AM, delights in those who 1. Fear him and 2. Put their hope in his unfailing love. These two phrases are quite powerful so let’s take a quick look.
Fear God
What does it mean to fear God? It means to reverence God, to honor God, to awe God. God is the great I AM. God is Creator, the Way, the Truth. In our culture, many have moved away from displaying the otherness of God and want to only declare the God who is a buddy. The Word of God never says, “Do what you want. God just wants you to be happy.”
We’ve been created by the Creator. God is delighted when we choose to honor and value God. Hebrews 12:28-29 states, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” God deserves our reverence.
Our culture has influenced even Christians to create God into our image. We want God to think like us and act like us. But this worldview will crumble when we stand before the great I AM. God delights in those who recognize His greatness on earth and who in response want to know Him and serve Him.
A healthy fear of God will help us not create God into our image, but rather allow God and His Word transform us into His image. And that my friends offers such security as God’s kingdom cannot be shaken.
Hope in God’s Unfailing Love
While bowing in reverent awe to the Great I AM, we also are to hope in God’s unfailing love. I continue to be thankful that God’s intense holiness and holy love moved him to pay the price for our sin. Through Jesus, we see God’s unfailing, steadfast, unconditional, and enduring love.
And God delights when His redeemed daughters and sons in reverent awe of His greatness and glory have no doubt that God loves them deeply and soundly. Or like my daughter Phoebe said, “Mommy, I know that you will always love me forever. Your love for me will never ever change.” Can I say that to God, “I know you will always love me forever. Your love for me will never ever change.”
So, I tried it. I said these exact words to God. God received those words. And God took pleasure in me this morning simply because I told him I trusted in His unfailing love.
Sisters and brothers, God wants all of us to fear Him and hope in His unfailing love. Give God some pleasure today. Tell Him all about His unfailing love for you. Let’s bring God some smiles today. Give God some deep-down sweet satisfaction. And you will realize, your own heart will swell with God’s amazing grace.
