I love when my baby granddaughter wants me to hold her.
She opens her arms up wide to me, and looks up at me with a look that says, “Hold me”.
And no matter what else I’m doing, I bend down to scoop her up and hold her close to my heart. Ah, there’s not much better than that.
And your Heavenly Father feels the same way about you…
He loves when you open your arms up wide to him and simply say, “Hold me”.
And no matter what else he’s doing, he’s going to bend down to scoop you up and hold you close to his heart. Ah, there’s not much better than that – for him or for you.
Watch how this happens in Psalm 18...
“I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears…
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me…” (Psalm 18:3-6, 16-19)
Don’t miss how personal your Heavenly Father feels about you
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me…
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.”
(Vs. 16-19 excerpts)
When you reach up, he reaches down.
When you call out, he draws near.
When you hurt, he comforts.
When you’re overwhelmed, he reassures.
When you’re threatened, he protects.
When you’re in danger, he saves.
Why? Who am I, that the God of the universe should come when I call?
Isn’t God busy? Doesn’t he have enough people to take care of around the world with a lot bigger problems than me?
And what about all my flaws, sins, and shortcomings? All the ways I let him down – over and over again? Are you sure he still loves me?
Read vs. 19 again: “He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me…”
That’s one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. I hope it will become one of yours: "…he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (vs. 19)
Your Heavenly Father doesn’t just put up with you or endure you.
He “delights” in you.
Just like I delight in my baby granddaughter.
Just like you delight in your loved ones.
And even more than us – because his love is infinite.
How can this be? How can I be sure of it?
Listen to these reassuring passages:
“For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.
5 Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.” (Psalm 149:4-5)
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight…” (Matthew 12:17-18)
Our Heavenly Father delights in us because we are his children, and because we are “in Christ” – the one he loves, in whom he delights (see Matthew 12:18 above).
When he looks at you, he doesn’t focus on your sins, flaws and weaknesses.
He focuses on your identity as his child, in Christ.
Just like I delight in my baby granddaughter.
Just like you delight in your loved ones.
And even more than us – because his love is infinite.
Then, why is my life still hard?
Like any good parent, God’s love and delight in us does not mean he doesn’t discipline us or allow us to go through hard times in order for us to grow.
In fact, God’s Word reminds us that he disciplines us because he delights in us:
“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12)
And like any parent/child relationship, our behavior matters.
“The Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:11)
“A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1)
We can bring joy or grief to God by our behavior.
And he wants us to repent every time we sin.
But make no mistake about it, your Heavenly Father’s deepest heart for you is one of love and delight.
Just like I delight in my baby granddaughter.
Just like you delight in your loved ones.
And even more than us – because his love is infinite.
Closing thoughts
So, go ahead, hold out your arms to your Heavenly Father and say, “Hold me.”
And he will reach down and scoop you up in his arms and hold you close to his heart – because he delights in you.
Ah, there’s not much better than that – for him or for you.