Enjoyment

My dog brings me joy. She greets us with such enthusiasm. Most dogs just wag their tails, but our dog wags her whole body. She always likes to be face-to-face with humans. Unless we get down to her level, she will reach up to our level, so she can look us in the eye. She tries to please us by sitting still at our feet when we are reading, obeying our commands, and fetching us things we ask her to bring to us. She is not really good at fetching. She will bring something close to us, but drop it a few feet away and then come running to us the rest of the way. She also expects us to fetch toys for her that roll under the furniture; she cries, looks up at us, and we get up from where we are sitting and retrieve her toy for her. Almost every time she approaches us, she expects something from us: a treat, some attention, a hug, a toy, or to be taken outside. Yet, we still delight in her.

“For the Lord delights in his people.” (Ps. 149:4 NLT)

The Lord delights in us, even in our feeble attempts to please Him. When we sit by his side listening, when we pray, when we sing, when we try to serve, He rejoices. When a dog fetches a slipper and brings it to its master’s feet, it brings a smile to his face. The master can easily get his own slipper, but the dog’s attempt to please brings joy. When a child tries to help his mom sweep the floor, it brings her joy, even if the child doesn’t know how to sweep properly. In the same way, God rejoices at our attempts to be close to Him, to please Him. It is true that most of the time we approach Him, we want something from Him. Yet God doesn’t hold this against us. We can do nothing for Him that He can’t do by himself.  When we cry to Him, when we look up at Him, He meets our needs and wants. Why He would get pleasure from this one-way giving is beyond me. Yet, the Lord enjoys us, delights in us.