(And More Proverbial Reasons to Praise His Name)
Sometimes, you can get lost in your own insignificance, can feel of no real use or value to God.
At least I can.
Great Creator of all this vastness, how could I mean anything of significance to You today? What could I do in this twenty-four that would count with You as any more than the flap of a butterfly’s wing?
I ask, and He shows me…
Picking up where I last broke off in my Proverbs search for scripture-based reasons to praise Him, in chapters 11 and 12 I come upon this astounding realization: I (personally) can… delight Him! Right now, today! And then in 15 and 16 I find more
Wonderful Reasons to Praise (and Delight in) Him…
(from Proverbs chapters 11 and 12)
because…
though dishonest scales are an abomination to Him,
He delights in just weights and honest scales
because…
though those with a perverse heart are also an abomination to Him,
He delights in those who walk in the ways that are blameless
because…
though lying lips are an abomination to Him,
He delights in those who deal truthfully
(from chapters 15 and 16)
because…
though the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Him,
He delights in the prayer of the upright
because…
the way of the wicked is an abomination to Him,
but He loves the person who follows righteousness
because…
the very thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to Him,
but the words of the pure are pleasant (to Him)
When will I really, finally, get it through my head and heart, that it isn’t what we consider the big stuff that matters to God? It isn’t any teensy human’s supposed big stuff that gives His great Heart pleasure. It’s what we/I, in the headlong rush to flashy accomplishment, too often brush aside as insignificant.
Even the tiniest “nobody” can delight Him
simply by being honest and just
merely by choosing to follow blameless ways in the everyday
just by dealing truthfully with others,
purely by praying to Him in uprightness,
simply by following righteousness and
keeping those inner thoughts and intents pure, (by coming to Him regularly for their cleansing)
then, by simply conversing with Him, heart to heart, thought to thought
This is enormous! A little being like myself able to delight the Great Creator of the vast Universe! No big earth-shaking large-numbers needed. No highly padded platform required. Just these basic things, with a right heart, which He Himself will keep giving me, if I go to Him for it.
This puts all my senseless striving for big and noticeable where it belongs—in the trash bin—and immerses me in the simplicity that pleases Him and brings me peace, and delight.
His yoke is easy. His burden is light. He Himself is meek and lowly in heart. And in all that I find rest for my soul.
*****
Linked to
The smallest of actions speak so much louder than words. It is the little things that honor our Father that are the treasures in our soul that we take with us to the other side.
What a good thought to hold on to, Floyd! Thank you for it.
Our thoughts, everyday actions which include our honest and truthful words are indeed simple but do NOT go unnoticed by God. Yes, thank you for the reminder that we can delight our Father God by our life, and also be delighted with Him.
That is such an important thing to remember, Hazel. In our busy, distracting world it can be too easy to lose sight of and forget.
thank-you. thank Him. good pondering point.
miss your plumed pen banner at the top of the page. it was like a signature for this visual person, but your words are as strong as ever.
Hey, thanks for the input, Laurie! How’s that (above)? (For now.) When dear son recently upgraded me, I liked a lot of the new theme’s features, and the clean look, but not the header that went with it. (It didn’t go with my theme at all!) I had trouble getting my old header into it and looking right, and I didn’t want to spend the time messing with it. But it did seem to me too that it ought to be there. Well, I woke in wee hours and couldn’t get back to sleep (it’s that dratted time change), so I figured finally wrestling with it was as good a way to spend my insomnia as any. Now, back to bed!
But PS first: I like the way you put the beginning of your comment. He is the one Who gives us these thoughts in His word in the first place, and later brings them together in our thinking. We just get blessed by it and pass on the blessing.
That He sees and loves us planet peewees, that He sees every teensy act, hears every whispered thought, that He delights in us and can use us even if without a highly padded platform. Earth shattering reminder.
“Planet pee-wees.” I like that term. I may quote it often. That we are, and yet, to realize the God of galaxies is also the God of microbes and DNA, Who not only “hears our whispered thought” but even delights in it when it’s turned aright—can take the breath away. *Earth* shattering, yes. And that is what so often needs shattering in me! 🙂 Thank you, Sandy, for this beautiful comment.
Thank you for sharing this lovely word study with us! One of my favorite verses is Ps 37:4 — It’s amazing that we have a God who delights to bring us joy, peace, and freedom (since we are such a mess!)
Blessings to you this weekend! 🙂
Lyli,
I *love* Psalm 37! So full of comfort and promise and wise life guidance. Blessings back, on your week!
Dear Sylvia
Like any parent I think we can also bring God so much joy when we love Him from our hearts! After all, our Pappa did say that He rejoices over us with singing! We sometimes forget that since our Lord is first and foremost love, how delighted He is when we return His love!
Blessings XX
Mia
That’s what it all boils down to, isn’t it, Mia? Love. That *is* the main thing He is delighting in, our returning love. Our efforts might be clumsy as the little child making first efforts at drawing Mom or Dad or Grandmom “a pretty picture,” but it isn’t the picture on the fridge that is the delight; it’s the loving, connecting intent with which it was painstakingly pressed out of those crayons. Thanks, and God bless you, too!
So good for my soul this afternoon to read all the “delight” statements.
Thank you!
Hi Melanie. I’m glad these realizations blessed you as they bless me. I must come back often to the truth of what actually delights Him. So glad you stopped and commented.
These are great thoughts, Sylvia, and I too have the “when will I ever really get it” moments. It is so outside of my nature to believe that I can delight Him, without any grand scheme or feat. Thank you for digging out these truths.
Tresta, this is one of those things my head generally knows/acknowledges as truth, but my soul seems to need relearning every few years. Thanking God that He is such a patient, gracious Teacher—and for giving me a new review lesson in these Proverbs. Thanks for stopping by to comment!
Beautiful, true, and so encouraging!!
“The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:11)
Thank you for linking to Recommendation Saturday! It was a pleasure to revisit your site!
Hey, how did I miss that scripture? I’m not finding it in this or the next post. I will have to add it in. It’s such an important one.
(Oh, maybe I left it out on purpose because I’m going to be posting about fear… ?)
Thanks, Shelly, and thanks for the link-up!