I recently saw a video of a young man who was given what he thought was a Sonic burger for his birthday, and he was so ecstatic to get that burger that he danced joyfully all over the living room! However, when he opened the bag to get out the burger, it turned out to be a new iPhone. He was so overcome with gratitude that he couldn’t stop hugging his mom, and he was moved to tears (as was I!). He held on to his mom while crying, and he didn't let go for a long time. He was delighted with the gift, but that wasn’t what got his attention. His attention went to the gift giver.
This past Sunday in the Boro, we celebrated Promotion Sunday, the day when our kids move up to new grades. This year, we called it “MOOve Up Sunday,” and we marked the day with an inflatable cow, special milk straws that flavored cups of milk, Cow Tales candy, and temporary cow tattoos. It was a lot of fun! At our Boro volunteer training after church, I was amused to see my husband carry the inflatable cow around, give him a seat at the lunch table, and bring him to his breakout session in one of the classrooms. The joy from the morning spilled over into our adult training, and although Jim was simply finding delight in an inflatable cow, I found myself thanking God for allowing us to have fun while we serve. The silly cow brought amusement, and my attention automatically went to my heavenly Father, the giver of joy and laughter.
Don’t you think that sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that the Christian life can only be serious or stoic? We as believers are called to exercise spiritual disciplines and be wise and intentional, so sometimes we forget that part of the abundant life is to delight in the Father and live with great joy. For me, this can be easier to do when I’m on vacation or celebrating a special day, but much trickier to do when life continues to throw painful and hard things my way. Regardless of my circumstances, the invitation remains, and sometimes I must look for delight and joy.
Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I have spent a lot of time over the years focusing on the meaning of the second half of that verse while skipping over the actual command at the beginning. What does it look like to delight in the Lord?
I think that delight in the Lord is finding pleasure in Him over any earthly thing. It is valuing Him and His presence in our lives by cultivating a deep relationship with Him. It is finding joy in time alone with Him. It is being satisfied to be still in His presence. It is also holding on to Him as the gift-giver more than the earthly things He gives us, while still delighting in those gifts with grateful hearts. Whether it is laughter over an inflatable cow, a warm cup of coffee to start our day, a precious conversation with a friend, or a soft blanket against our skin, every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17). When we recognize this and give our attention to the Gift Giver, I think that delights God, too.
Most nights before bed, I try to record one little thing from the day in a One Line a Day journal so that when I look back in a few years, the mundane details will tell the narrative of my life from that year. Oftentimes, as I try to choose the one thing I will write, I find myself recounting my day and thanking God or looking for His activity in my life. And when I see God in the little things each day, I am aware of His constant presence, and I delight in Him. I want that delight to carry over into my daily living, where I have more and more moments of thanking the living God for simple pleasures, great gifts, and, most of all, God Himself.