I Take Pleasure In You

So, when I woke up this morning, I turned my thoughts to Jesus and I heard Him say, “Come away with Me.” Carolina and Dani were sound asleep at the table bed in our RV and Thilo and Bre were still sleeping up in the overhead bed. I got up, got dress, gathered my toilet supplies and walked along the boat pier to the public toilets. It felt wonderful to splash warm water on my face. I thought of the last place where we had camped and the public toilets only had freezing cold water.

Then I went across the street and sat at a picnic table to read my morning devotional. It was so good. It ministered to my heart about suffering. The scripture reference was from Psalm 4:1 “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.” It said that good times bring do not deepen your inner self but suffering brings you closer to your brothers and sisters in the world. “Say not that the shades of the prison-house have fettered you; your fetters are wings – wings of flight into the heart of the universe. God has enlarged you by the binding of sorrow's chain.” George Matheson

As I was sitting and praying with my eyes closed, people passing by would stare at me curiously, so I decided to go for a walk. I walked down the end of a small jetty and sat on a big rock overlooking the Danish sea. It was beautiful. There was a flock of Swift sparrows flying in huge circles around me. I never saw them land and read later in BreAnna's bird book that they can go two years without landing! They sleep and eat while flying. I watched them swoop down to the water and eat the bugs and swoop back up into the air and repeat the pattern. They flew so fast that it was very fun to watch. They were black on top and their underbellies were white. I watched in delight for quite some time when suddenly the still, small voice said to me, “I take pleasure in you. Just like you are enjoying the birds so I enjoy you. I love to watch you eat, play and even sleep.”

I saw myself sitting on that rock, almost a giant compared to the birds. I have no idea what the birds thought of me or if they were even aware of me and I know for sure that they were totally unaware that I was taking pleasure in them. I always think that I have to do for God to take pleasure in me. Even though I have learned that He loves me just as I am, the idea never ceases to amaze me. I think I need to learn the truth a thousand times before it fully sinks in and becomes real to me. A small chink in my armor fell off and once again I was overwhelmed and in awe that the great God, creator of all the universe notices and loves ME!!

After a time, the birds all gathered themselves into a flock and flew way. I couldn't believe that they were ceasing their activity! I guessed that breakfast time was over. I turned to watch where they were flying off to and saw them high up in the sky flying in a huge circle. The sun caught their white underbellies and it seemed to me that they were shimmering.

I got up and started to walk back to our RV. As I walked I pondered on the fact that one of man kind's greatest joys is when someone takes pleasure in us. My son-in-law loves it when I laugh at his jokes. Real joy overwhelms him and that makes me happy too. Then I thought about how we feel if someone delights in us but we don't return their admiration. We can almost feel repulsed by them. We would rather they just go away and leave us alone. If the delight is not reciprocated, we do not enjoy their delight. So it is with the Lord. We need to take delight in Him to receive and enjoy His delight in us. The only way to take delight in the Lord is to get to know Him and for me the biggest way I have come to know Him is through reading about Him in the stories of the bible. When I read the bible, I learn about His faithfulness, justice, righteousness and mercy. I have learned that He is a God who experiences every emotion that we experience like love, jealousy and anger. He created food, beauty and our amazing bodies that can run, swim and enjoy intimate pleasures. We are created in His image and likeness, so we can know that He too loves beauty, activity and intense intimacy.

My Papa, my Lord, my companion enjoys me and I enjoy Him.