“I will rejoice in doing them good.” Jeremiah 32:41
How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us: We cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened. Conscious of our sinfulness and deploring our unfaithfulness, we fear that God’s people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces.
But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us. We do not read anywhere that God delights in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that he delights in the habitable parts of the earth, and that his delights are with the sons of men.
We do not find it written that even angels give his soul delight—nor does he say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, “You shall be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delights in you.” But he does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves—debased and depraved by sin—but saved, exalted, and glorified by his grace.
In what strong language he expresses his delight in his people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, “He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
As he looked upon the world he had made, he said, “It is very good,” but when he beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus’ blood, his own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvelous declaration of his love, and sing, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation”?
Adapted from Morning and Evening.
