God Delights in Us

            I always find it difficult to express myself with the deeply heartfelt activities or ideas that come into my journey to holiness.  This past weekend I had the opportunity to pray and sing with almost a dozen ladies from my community.  Bible passages were read that we meditated on in the quiet of our hearts.  What a blessing.  Let me try to paint the picture for you. 

            With nervous energy, I detoured to City Brew to add a little caffeine to my morning.  New activities always make me a tad bit anxious.   I continued on my journey driving through town to a house on one of the main roads.  After finding a parking spot a block away, I walked down the sidewalk and smiled as I stepped onto the porch.  I love big inviting porches built in the “olden” days. 

Being this is a home for youth ministers, I was uncertain of the proto call of knocking or not, so I knocked and tried the door.  Locked.  Hearing a click, the door swung open.  Instantly, I was at ease as a very dear lady greeted me.  We attend the same parish.  I admire her love of Christ and the ministries she performs in our community through lectoring, youth ministry, music, Bible studies, and raising amazing children. 

            Other women filtered into the sun filled living room with plenty of comfortable seating.  After introductions, the music began.  As always, I watched in amazement as two of the woman played guitar so comfortably and my heart sang with all the women’s voices raised in prayer.  Across from me, a big picture window filled my eyes with a clear blue sky.  An elderly lady went out on her porch with a dust mop and carpets shaking out the dust.  I prayed for her to have a day filled with grace.

            After a few songs, a passage from Isaiah 62 was read.  I wrote in my journal.  “The Lord delights in you!  Serious about relationship with me.  Courting.”  As more songs filled the air, I kept thinking about what I wrote.  I also thought back to two weeks ago about the reading of God saying, “This is my son of whom I am well pleased.”  Father said we needed to believe God is well pleased with us.  Now, I hear that He delights in me.  He wants a serious relationship with me as intense as courting me and marrying me. 

            Another passage was read and more songs sung, but the Isaiah reading kept entering my thoughts until a revelation hit me.  In the last twenty-five days, I have been reading my husband’s Bible that I sent him while he was in Iraq.  The Bible is designed to be read in a year.  I am attempting the schedule, but I haven’t read anything that has inspired me to write.  The passages that have popped out at me are all the “thou shall not” ideas and I haven’t wanted to lecture.  How is that it is this day and this reading that fills my heart?  Then it dawned on me and I wrote, “I am a rule follower, a judge.  This is why the verses that speak to me are those of lecturing.  I tend to miss the loving aspects of our faith.  I miss that God delights in me.  I need to meditate in that.” 

            My spiritual word for the year is discipline.  I can’t help thinking it might be delights instead.  I will keep both in my heart for the time being.  It might just be that I need to be disciplined in remembering God delights in me and not worry so much about being perfect.  Hum, I lot to meditate on in the months remaining in 2013.

            The gathering ended and all of us ladies went back into the world with prayer supporting us up for the tasks to be performed in our regular day.  A peace settled over me.  I delighted in the gift God gave me in a very sunny January day.

            Blessings to you all.