Fearing God From A to Z
D is for Delight
Last week I picked up my granddaughter from kindergarten 4 days out of 5.
That's twice as much as usual. She also spent a sick day at my house. On Friday she walked out the school door expecting her mom to take her to daycare - to play with friends. She saw me waiting instead.
"Grandma, what are you doing here again?" her expression matched her words.
Delighted to see me? I don't think so.
Normally, this precious girl greets me with a smile and a hug. But after a long week, she had places to go, people to see. She couldn't spend all her free time with Grandma. I understand. Still, her lack of zeal to visit my house surprised me. Maybe because she hadn't expressed that attitude before.
Charles Dickens wrote: "I love little children and it is no slight thing when they, who are fresh from God, love us." The joy of a child is contagious. We delight to spend time with them even more when they delight to be with us.
God feels the same way toward His children. He delights in those who fear
Him (Psalm 147:11). We express fear of God when we trust, thank, and praise Him; when we ask His advice.That's an unexpected picture of what fear looks like but there's more than one kind of fear.
Like my granddaughter, we all have a tendency to take everyday things for granted- no matter how spectacular. The fear of God keeps us sensitive to His Presence and blessings. We need it to stay thankful. Remember how God sent bread from heaven for the Israelites for 40 years? Manna every morning, nutritious, tasty, faithful food. How did they respond?
"...Our soul loathes this worthless bread" (Numbers 21:5).
Everyday blessings challenge our ability to stay thankful. The fear of the Lord
challenges that weakness. We need the Lord's provision and we need His Spirit to help us see those daily gifts with grateful eyes. Shouldn't His continual goodness increase our thankfulness rather than cause it to wear thin?
This week I picked up my granddaughter from school on Friday and smiled to see her joyful face. "Hi Grandma, I've been missing you," she said.
I was delighted to see her as well. Sometimes a little break reminds us how much we appreciate our gifts from God, especially the ones He gives us everyday.
Normally, this precious girl greets me with a smile and a hug. But after a long week, she had places to go, people to see. She couldn't spend all her free time with Grandma. I understand. Still, her lack of zeal to visit my house surprised me. Maybe because she hadn't expressed that attitude before.
Charles Dickens wrote: "I love little children and it is no slight thing when they, who are fresh from God, love us." The joy of a child is contagious. We delight to spend time with them even more when they delight to be with us.
God feels the same way toward His children. He delights in those who fear
Him (Psalm 147:11). We express fear of God when we trust, thank, and praise Him; when we ask His advice.That's an unexpected picture of what fear looks like but there's more than one kind of fear.
Like my granddaughter, we all have a tendency to take everyday things for granted- no matter how spectacular. The fear of God keeps us sensitive to His Presence and blessings. We need it to stay thankful. Remember how God sent bread from heaven for the Israelites for 40 years? Manna every morning, nutritious, tasty, faithful food. How did they respond?
"...Our soul loathes this worthless bread" (Numbers 21:5).
Everyday blessings challenge our ability to stay thankful. The fear of the Lord
challenges that weakness. We need the Lord's provision and we need His Spirit to help us see those daily gifts with grateful eyes. Shouldn't His continual goodness increase our thankfulness rather than cause it to wear thin?
This week I picked up my granddaughter from school on Friday and smiled to see her joyful face. "Hi Grandma, I've been missing you," she said.
I was delighted to see her as well. Sometimes a little break reminds us how much we appreciate our gifts from God, especially the ones He gives us everyday.
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