DAY 101 - GOD LIKES YOU
KEATON TUCKER, YA GROUPS TEAM LEAD
As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5
I’m getting married this week! Yay! It’s an exciting week and I cannot wait to see my bride walk down the aisle in all her beauty. My heart pounds and tears come to my eyes every single time I think about that moment and how much delight I have in my bride to be.
I love Chelsea, my bride, for so many reasons. She has awesome character, she is gentle and kind, forgiving, she is filled with faith and grace. I would lay down my life for her.
But I also LIKE Chelsea. I like being around her, hanging out, going adventures, watching her do the things she likes to do. She is fun to be around and she brings joy and delight to my soul.
We all know God loves us and that he has laid down his life for us. We are his cherished possession. But how often do we remember that God likes us? I know I forget often.
God likes you! He enjoys your presence, he likes doing things with you and watching you do the things you like to do. He likes your personality, your quirks and gimmicks, he likes the things that make you tick and make you laugh. He likes who you’re becoming and all that makes you who you are
The philosopher Dallas Willard (my personal favorite person to read) said this in one of his books:
“So we must understand that God does not “love” us without liking us— through gritted teeth— as “Christian” love is sometimes thought to do. Rather, out of the eternal freshness of his perpetually self-renewed being, the heavenly Father cherishes the earth and each human being upon it. The fondness, the endearment, the unstintingly affectionate regard of God toward all his creatures is the natural outflow of what he is to the core— which we vainly try to capture with our tired but indispensable old word love.” -Dallas Willard
Dallas Willard is good with words.
Today, rest in the reality that God not only loves you but he actually likes you. He delights over you the way a groom delights over his bride.
Grace and Peace to you.