Friday, July 6, 2012

What does "delight" mean?


I realize this is only my second day of official "blogging," but it is actually my third day of publishing my morning thoughts.  The first day was happily displayed on Facebook. Now, I am thinking about it too much.  I think the very best thing is to "be real" and just say what's on my mind about what God is doing in my life; and friends, there is really no telling what that might be.  

I always feel like He has to work harder on me than others - you know, like assign extra angels to my car in the morning.  I hit a fire hydrant on the way to work one morning.  It was only 1,000 ft from my front door, but I was movin' around that curb, and that fire hydrant took off the side of my car.  The fire hydrant was unmoved and undamaged - thank the Lord.  The first thing my insurance agent asked was, "do we need to call the city?"  Nope, no damage to the fire hydrant.  

Now, when Frank sees my scurrying around in the morning, forgetting keys, coming back for my phone and lipstick and forgetting those two rollers in the top of head so I will have a little "poof" (Texas girls always like a little "poof,") he will (sometimes) kindly say,  "Baby, be careful today.  This is one of those days when you will run over a fire hydrant, dogs, and small children."  Frank always prays with me in the morning and asks for the Lord's protection over both of us - but mostly me.  

This is life, right?  When I worry that I am not doing my share, and the Lord has to work harder on me, I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs 8:30 that tells me I am daily the Lord's delight.  I am amazed at that.  Are you? I looked up the word "delight," and it gave the normal words I would expect, "joy, happy, show of excitement," and then I read about what it meant in Hebrew. No, I don't read Hebrew, but I can google.  "Luxurious, delicate, feminine, to be of dainty habit, to be pampered, happy about"  is what I found. 

The picture that instantly popped into my head was one of a child so excited about something that her little face was frozen in a squeal, shoulders up, and maybe even hands to the mouth in disbelief of something so wonderful. I can't imagine the God of the universe loving me and delighting in me as His child in such a powerful, mind-boggling way.  

I say I have "delighted" in Him when I read my chapter in Proverbs, one in the New Testament, a chapter in a devotional, say my prayer - usually asking for strength and faith, praying over my list of specific prayer requests and thanking Him for saving me.  I need to be careful that I delight myself in Him and not what He does for me.  Then I can say that whether I have or don't have, I am delighted in His presence.

"Thank you, Jesus, that you treat me as a rare, delicate, treasured gift, and I am worthy of it only because of the sacrifice of the rarest, most treasured gift in all of eternity." Now, that is enough to make my heart burst with squealing delight.  Glad I'm not one of those snake handlers today.  The cages would be wide-open.

PS - Parents - do your children feel like you delight in them in that way?  Just sayin'
  • Isaiah 62:4-  The Lord delights in you
  • Psalm 22:8- rescued because God delights in him (God’s son)
  • Proverbs 3:12-“Even as a father- the son in whom he delights-How blessed is the man who finds wisdom

5 comments:

  1. Great thoughts! I need to make sure that my wife and boys know that they delight me - not just that I love them. I think that we all know that we are loved and liked, but there is an element of intimacy that comes to mind when I think of those that delight me. And I need to make sure that they know this is the case!

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  2. I'm glad you started this blog and thanks for the thoughts today!! Thanks for the reminder!!

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  3. Thank you both for your comments. I am grateful it has been a blessing. That is my goal each day. Your words are an encouragement to me. Mecca

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  4. We go from distress to despair to delight about once a night with the kids. Emily's probably delighting the most in Kyle these days. :)

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  5. Hey Joel - I can tell by the pictures that a lot is going on all of the time in your household. Would so love to see you all. Love you.

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