We rushed to the door in hopes of getting to church on time. I peered at my youngest son and questioned his attire. Are you wearing underwear? This child of mine refuses to wear his undergarment on most occasions. As a result, we’ve established the rule that he must wear underwear to church and school, no exceptions. He shook his head no. With little time to change, I instructed him to grab clean underwear. We would put them on as soon as we arrived at church.
The short commute was nice and calm. As we drove, my husband and I conversed about our day. The children played quietly in the backseat.
Suddenly, the driver next to us caught my attention. A young man was signaling intensely for me to look at my son in the backseat. When I turned around, my eyes stared in disbelief.
My son’s window was down. Totally normal.
The breeze blew directly in his face. He loves it.
But then I noticed his arm outside the window. He waved his underwear in the wind without a care in the world. His small hand clutched it tightly. And his underwear whipped around like a flag on a windy day. For all the interstate drivers to see.
A carefree smile and a glimmer in his eyes shone brightly. He was lost in the moment. Utterly delighted by his flapping underwear.
In surprise, I blurted out his name. As he locked eyes with mine, he quickly drew his hand inside the car. A nervous look replaced his jovial expression. As every eye turned to him, the entire family burst into laughter. Even the truck driver next to us laughed at the scene.
I love thinking back on this memory. The light-hearted expression on my son’s face brings me such joy and laughter.
Afterwards, the Holy Spirit whispered a sweet reminder to my soul.
The way I am captivated by my son is the same way God delights in me. The beauty of being in a relationship with the Lord is that I can take pleasure in Him as well. He invites me into this kind of friendship with Him.
How Becoming a Parent Transformed My Understanding of God’s Love
When I became a parent, I experienced a love I had never known before. The first time I saw my sweet baby’s face, I couldn’t believe she was mine. With each new baby, my heart burst with an even greater love for these precious souls God entrusted to me.
One incredible surprise came to me as a new mom. I gained a deeper awareness of God’s love for me.
Related: Showing God’s Love to a Hurting World
He is God my Father. And for the first time, I truly understood a parent’s unconditional love. My children are not perfect. Some days, they drive me crazy. Even so, my devotion to them does not diminish based on their wrong choices or challenging behaviors. I love them through it all.
Isn’t this true of our God!
I am not perfect, but I am His child. My choices can be frustrating at times. Yet, my Father never turns His back on me. He loves me completely. He calls me His own. I belong to Him, and nothing can change that.
I love knowing that God delights in me.
God Delights in You
The Lord looks upon you with love. He takes joy in your laughter. He loves watching you become inspired by something that takes your breath away.
His heart beats with excitement over you. The Lord doesn’t see your mistakes or failures. He sees His redemption and grace. He doesn’t look at you in frustration. His eyes are filled with the deepest adoration for the one He created. You.
We Can Delight in God
This verse exclaims a beautiful fact: We can delight in the Lord the way He delights in us. It is not about getting the things we desire. Rather, it’s about experiencing the heartbeat of God and being transformed by His goodness.
How do we take delight in the Lord? The word delight simply means to take great pleasure in.
One of the things I love about God is that He doesn’t force Himself on any of us. We are not created to be robots that are programmed to worship Him. Yes, God desires us to know Him intimately. He created us to have fellowship with Him.
Yet, the Lord gives us the freedom to make our own choices. He doesn’t want us to worship Him out of obligation. Instead, He draws us to Him and allows us to choose for ourselves.
The Beauty of Knowing God
When we choose Him, a beautiful thing happens. The God of the Universe becomes the King of our Hearts.
We exchange death for life. Chains for freedom. The greatest love story awakens in our hearts, and we get to experience new life every single day through eternity.
Related: What a Broken Finger Taught Me About the Cross
An unfamiliar God becomes the very One we cannot live without.
We can take great pleasure in the One who created us. We can stand in awe of Him. This happens as we worship Him with surrendered hearts. As we open His Word (the Bible) with a desire to know Him more. To spend time in His presence and allow His goodness to fill every part of our beings.
The Lord invites you to experience this kind of relationship with Him.
When you delight yourself in Him, you will find yourself longing for more of Him. The desires of your heart will become the very things He desires.
We Can Delight in Our Children
As we draw close to the Lord, we get to experience His incredible, life-changing love for us. We can be the best kind of parents to our children when we are filled fresh with the Father’s love every single day.
Yes, you will experience days where you fall short. Days where you lose your cool and don’t feel cut out for this parenting thing. But God will gently pull you into His loving arms. He will remind you of His perfect love. He will lavish on you His forgiveness and grace. The Lord will fill you fresh with His love and delight. And as you delight in Him in return, you will find yourself living (and parenting) from a fresh perspective.
Related: Finding Delight in the Everyday Mess of Parenting
God rejoices over you. It’s 100% true. Take delight in Him. Draw closer to Him. Allow His love to renew you today. Ask the Lord to give you an overwhelming love for your children. May you walk in His grace every step of the way.
