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| The strange delight of God |
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My morning bible reading today was a time of supreme joy, my heart beaming as I read some truly astounding words—which I have no choice but to share! I was reminded as I read:
147:10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; 147:11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
God doesn’t pleasure in sheer power and might, such as comes from great cavalries (horse) or infantries (men on foot). Instead God almighty delights in people who recognize he is One to fear, yet “put their hope in his unfailing love” as a young child places their whole trust in daddy.
What strange kind of God is that??? Man has been inventing gods since earliest times, yet never have any been invented that are anything like the true God. The gods of mankind are always desperately demanding and constantly needing to be appeased. By contrast, we are told the greatest command our God ever issued was... 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Yes, the true God, who already possesses all the power and wealth the universe has to offer, instead desires the one thing that continues to defy him, the desperately elusive heart of man. He delights in our LOVE!!
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| To add a comment to "The strange delight of God" |
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| February 05, 2009 |
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| Pretty mind-blowing, eh? That He'd choose us. It amazes me. |
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| February 05, 2009 |
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| I still find myself turning it over in my head, examining it from every angle. It doesn't make sense!!! (But it's about the most charming truth I've found.) |
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| February 05, 2009 |
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I am glad God chose me. There was a time I Loved Him but was not IN LOVE with Him.
God sometimes remove the love of your life so He can be the LOVE OF YOUR LIFE.
He is a jealous God. Now, My Hope is that I Love Him with My Whole Heart.....FOREVER |
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| February 05, 2009 |
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| Sometimes the amazing grace and mercy of God leaves me speachless, with disbelief. Can I really believe that He still loves me and forgives all my sins? Oh, to be successful in casting aside every doubt and wholly trusting in Him, His grace, His mercy. I think that is where faith takes over. Yes! By faith in Him, I can say, "I am forgiven." I remember reading, "the just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38 |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| And to think when I was at my ugliest he forgave, deep into sin, hope gone, life shattered, crushed beneath the load I bore when out of the darkness I cried, "O God," give me something worth living for (thought taken from a song Something Worth Living For by Bill and Gloria Gaither). His grace is sufficient and His mercies endures forever. |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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Hey Mike, one of my favorite passages speaking of God's delight defies world logic as well. Jeremiah 9:23 and 24 : "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neighter let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that gloryieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight saith the Lord. I had that hung up in my cubicle at the law firms that I worked for. I needed to look at it and remind myself of this because law catches such flak in jokes about sinister type sleezy lawyers. I have had the good fortune to work with men and women with integrity but the very business of law just like politics tends to have preference to the wealthy, and wise, just like Hollywood has wealth and beauty and Sports in wealth and strength. Do I give preference to those the world holds in high esteem over those the world views as weak, poor and simple minded? I want to have the heart of Christ in this. I seek the heart of Christ in this. I can have it one moment and if not careful back in the world wave of thought. You always bless me Mike. I didn't have this other set of verses to link with those that were my favorite in Jeremiah, but marking them now. |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| ps...my Aunt Lois had a kitten when a wee child she named Delight. :) She died when 25 years old, and before I was born. Two of her grown children, Freda Chaney and Samuel Morris are on my friends list and walking strong in Jesus. I think it would be a really cool name for a pet and reminder of this verse. I have been given the husband's decree of no more pets right now or I would rescue one from the SPCA today and name it Delight as a reminder of these verses. Perhaps someone else has love and a home will. :) |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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Delight...yes, a great reminder, Juanita! And yes, I appreciate the msg of Jer 9:23-24...like Hos 6:6 and many others...awesome, wonderful, worth a continual sacrifice of praise and constant thankfulness! Lawyers? (shuddering)
Larry, I'm sure God saw each of us at our ugliest when he dispatched Jesus to earth on our behalf. Nothing surprises God after all. Great thoughts bro, thanks.
LABrannen...I absolutely know that feeling! I am so NOT worthy.....and this is why he is SO worthy of praise and thanks!
Terry, I'm so glad his relentless pursuit ended in success! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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Lawyers? (shuddering) Ok, I am giggling. I used to work for Capital One...and like law firms, finance companies put HUGE emphasis on wealth. Image is everything in these companies. It went against my hippie like nature so it is easy for me to embrace not bowing down to it. Looked up Hosea 6:6 "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. That has been a favorite of mine but I couldn't have told you where it was. A flaw in my ways. I often read a book and forget the author when telling folks they need to read it. Just know about three authors that I read often. I will remember this bread crumb trail to Hosea now and in fact...may just study it this week to see what is behind that verse...the "whole" of it. peace/j |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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Juanita....Hosea is one of my favorite books! A prophet is told to marry a prostitute, who quite naturally abandons him (and his children). He then BUYS her back, resolving to show mercy and love despite her unfaithfulness and the wicked ways she has treated him. Horrifying to think that is the way we treat God, isn't it?
Pastor Tim...no spell check on the cell phone? lol Thanks for commenting bro! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| Thanks for the reminder…great blog…as usual. I will put my hope in his unfailing love! Amen |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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He asks that we give honestly and freely LOVE to Him as He has given to us as Father, Comforter, Provider, Protector. He also require us to give that SAME LOVE TO EACH OTHER.
Lean and trust on/in Me and I will never disappoint or leave you. What more can we ask for when the world constantly hands us a bunch of disappointments? We are not of this world, only here temporarily to do His will... He is not impressed by who or what we are.. He is impressed by our diligent FAITHFULNESS to Him.
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| February 06, 2009 |
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"He also require us to give that SAME LOVE TO EACH OTHER."
22:38 This is the great and first commandment. 22:39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Yeppers! And there can be no hopes of fulfilling the second if the first is neglected!!! Great point Mary!!! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| Thanks so much, Bren... I do hope this reminder has brightened your day, as it has mine! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| Amen! Thank you Mike for more to chew! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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I contacted my cousins and shared this with them. I got a response from Freda who lives in Ohio and got permission to share this: Dear Juanita,
> I read the passages below, and then went to the blog.
>
> First, let me say that I am thrilled that you are feeling
> better, and can get online and feed your spirit through
> Christian communication.
>
> Second, I wanted to share with you
> that we have a stray kitty staying in our barn that looks like
> the one my mother had when she was young. The other stray we
> took in a few years ago was chasing her off. Recently, when
> the weather changed sharply and dipped below zero, my husband
> brought the tamer stray inside and housed it in the sunroom
> (which was promptly destroyed with cat litter tossed out of
> the box, plants turned upside down etc.) However, the other
> wilder stray decided to move into the barn and take the first
> one's place, so it now has a bed and food regularly. We have
> befriended several cats over the period of 10 years in this
> house. I believe I will name the newest one, the one that looks
> like my mother's cat, Delight. She is delighted to be keeping
> warm and eating in our barn (but too wild to be close to us).
>
> It occurs to me that though we feel the Lord is distant--living
> far away and seemingly not connecting--He is among us as a
> Father,seeing after His little strays, providing a place in
> the world that seems sometimes all too scary. I think of the
> many times I lay in bed weeping as a child (and rarer times as
> an adult) wanting God to show me my mother, or bring to me the
> care and love of a father. It was during those times that I made
> the Lord my "delight" through the reading of the Psalms. Like
> the stray cat whom I shall name Delight, I have been shown a way,
> a place, though not perfect yet, but "enough". Someday, I will
> be face to face with the Perfect, and I will know Who fed and
> clothed and housed me and brought to me my friends. Someday,
> the kitty will step out of the barn and see the hand that extended
> the love, and touch it directly. Likewise, we must step-out and
find God in our own ways--daring to risk, to be vulnerable.
>
> It also occurs to me that all of us kids, in our extended family
> on Mom's side, have gone through our share of worldly difficulties.
> Yet, God remains. God remains to bring us back, to renew us like
> a "refresh" button on an internet page--behold all things are new again.
> The valley of the shadow of death no longer seems so dark to me, for
> my Father-Mother-Husband-Friend leads me through it with great "delight".
>
> What greater delight could one have?
>
> Thank you for sharing and caring. God bless,and continue to heal in
> body and spirit.
>
> Love you so,
> freda just a note////freda runs a bed and breakfast in ohio and is part of the prayer team of Guideposts. She has been published in the Angels magazine. She was just 9 months old when her mom died and we grew up apart only meeting once before three years ago. |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| I love this God always knows what you need when you need it!! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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It is all about loving Him. The more I seek Him, the more I love Him, the more I love Him, the more I seek Him.
Look up the song by gateway worship: "The more I seek You." You will be blessed and this will confirm what you are learning. |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| haha, I will try to remember to do that Todd! (I just "discovered" Gateway Worship, love their rendition of Come Thou Fount - its on my profile) |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| I like what LABrannen said," Sometimes the amazing grace and mercy of God leaves me speachless" thats how ive been feeling , it is soooo awesome and sooo amazing! |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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WOW!!! WOW indeed.really good.I serve an awesome God!!...Thanks Mike. |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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Dear Mike and Laura,
Love your article. I love the book of MIcah: What doth the Lord require of us but to: "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God" (Micah6:8). Elsewhere God says that what He delights in is a broken and contrite heart. We build big expensive ornate churches and put so much in the exterior when all along God wants the interior renovated. Does not take a lot to make God happy. Thanks dear Friends.
Pastor Charles E. Waddell
cewchuck@aol.com |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| The fact that He loves us even knowing the way that we are, shows that He has confidence and high hopes that we will not disappoint Him completely. Look at how He can change lives if only we allow Him power, and give Him love. It is an awesome thing my friend! And a great blog! |
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| February 07, 2009 |
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Donna, I'm speechless in the presence of such amazing grace as well. In fact, it leaves me feeling very broken and inadequate...
Thanks Deb! and yes, the fact that he chose to save and bless us, knowing full well the evil that we are capable of as well as the evil thoughts and deeds....PROVES there is nothing we could do to drive him away. If only we would go to him...
Jimmie, good to hear from you, friend! Amazing God we serve...amazing!
Pastor Charles, thank you for your most excellent insights! God makes it so easy for us to come! |
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| February 07, 2009 |
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| Beautiful! My favorite verse is "Delight thyself in the LORD and He shall give thee the desires and secret petitions of thine heart." If we simply -- in all our brokenness and sin -- turn to Him and begin learning to walk in obedience, we have such a multitude of promises awaiting to be fulfilled! Amazing Love! |
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| February 07, 2009 |
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Wow, The Holy Spirit just amazes me, this was my study this morning. May I delight God!
Thanks bro~ |
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| February 09, 2009 |
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| It truly is a "strange" delight. Good title. When I think of how screwed up I have been and still am, there's no logical reason for His delight in me. It's nice to hear this in your blog. Thanks. |
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| February 09, 2009 |
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| Amen... |
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| February 09, 2009 |
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He delights in our Love & we delight in His love. |
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| February 09, 2009 |
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| GrammyB, that's one of my memory verses...Psalm 37:4...amazing love indeed! I marvel! Panda, he does indeed, we do indeed! :D Thanks Angela! Thanks Jen...I wondered about the title, yet it definitely seems to fit! |
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