Great Works
Great are the works of the Lord: they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are His deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111:2-3
Insight
I have a lovely friend who loves to give gifts. She believes that every situation is a gift-giving opportunity. I don't just mean on your birthday or anniversary; she would bring a gift simply because it was Tuesday and the sun was shining. Her heart delights in watching her friends' faces light up when she walks into their house, and she always says, "I picked up a little something for you." I treasure every gift she has ever given me and love them all. Whenever she goes into a store and sees something that reminds her of me, she thinks about how well she knows me and the things I like. Whenever I see the autographed Yankees baseball she brought back for me from Yankee Stadium, which Derek Jeter signed, I am reminded of her.
It's similar to how we think of Jesus. He blesses us with good gifts. I pray almost every day, asking for protection for my family, light morning traffic, a rain-free weekend, and for my love for Him to continue to grow. Sometimes, when I am grateful for what He has done for me or when I feel broken and need Him to fix something, I lean in close to Him. When our prayers are answered, we are filled with delight, and we call our friends who have been praying for us to celebrate the goodness of His answered prayers.
However, this joy is sometimes short-lived. We are quickly pulled back into our daily chores and resume our regular lives. The world's noise often drowns out the pleasure of our Father's presence within us, until something reminds us of our need for Him. It's like eating the best slice of pie ever. While eating it, we experience delight, but it's gone just five minutes after we finish. We forget how it tasted and move on with our day, sometimes onto the next desire we have.
Delighting in Jesus means delighting in His continual presence, which is always with us and delightful. It involves intentionally talking to Him and listening to His voice. I delight in Him because of who He is and how well He loves and knows me. His great gifts are specifically chosen for me. They are personal and hand-picked by Him. He knows what I need to stay in His presence, and He is delighted to share everything He has with me.
The Psalmist encourages us to reflect on His great works. We should think about, rest in, and joyfully delight in everything He has done for us. We should go beyond those five minutes and purposefully hold onto Him throughout our day. His righteousness, love, and purpose for us endure forever, and that is where we can find true and everlasting delight.
Reflection
Where can you find delight in what Jesus has done for you?
How can you lean in and grab hold of Him through not only the good and bad moments but in every moment?
Prayer
Jesus, You are our delight and we desire to be continually overwhelmed in Your presence. We want to know You so well that our hearts are full of Your goodness and love. We desire to hear You above the chatter of the world. Thank you for always being with us, even when our delight seems distant. Help us to see You in all things. Thank you for being so good to us. Thank you, In Jesus name. Amen.
Cindy Stauffer, Administrative Assistant at our Wilmington Campus, wrote today’s devotional.