God's Encore

One of the occasions my wife and I enjoy most is our children’s school choral concerts. After the concert, we stand and clap as loud and for as long as we can. We’ve sometimes stood clapping with the audience long enough to earn an “encore.” To our utter delight, the choir comes back and sings another number. They respond to our shouts and cheers with a song that overwhelms the auditorium with joy.

Our Father in heaven delights in His children. When the Queen of Sheba visited Jerusalem to see all that God had done through King Solomon she was surprised by what she saw. We discover in 1 Kings 10 that Israel’s grandeur was more than she had imagined. She reasoned that the people must be appreciative and, more than that, the God of Israel must be glad. She told Solomon:

“How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.” (1 Kings 10:8-9*, NLT)

God took delight in Solomon as the ruler of His beloved Israel. God experiences joy and delight just as we do. Few things give us more pleasure than our children. As God’s children, we are His “pride and joy.” The prophet Zephaniah depicted the surpassing pleasure of God in His children:

“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zephaniah 3:17*)

God’s delight in us is so immense that it causes Him to break forth in song. We worship a singing God! More remarkably—the reason for His song, is you and me.

God’s gladness in us is like the parent who applauds for an encore at their child’s performance, and His joy for us reverberates like the choir that returns to the stage to satisfy the yearnings of the enamored crowd. He rejoices over us just like the great kings of Israel, for together with Christ, the King of kings, we are considered heirs of God’s glory (Romans 8:17*). God knows just who we are and, with abundant joy, love, and might, will deliver us from every trouble and fear.

Lord, we worship You for Your great and marvelous works. You know each of us intimately and still delight in us. You rejoice over us despite our weaknesses and fears. When we look to Jesus, our mighty Savior, give us ears to hear the reverberating sound of Your song of joy for Your children.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.