God is Happy with You

Thoughts from Psalm 149.

“...let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people...

...let them sing for joy on their beds.”

Did you catch that? Did you hear what the psalmist just said? "Be happy," he says, and then tells you why: “because God takes pleasure in you.”

Among the reasons for joy, this is an unexpected one. 
Did you know, human being, that you make God happy?

And He wants you to be happy about making Him happy and also happy that He’s happy with you.

According to the psalmist, it’s the kind of happiness that you take with you to bed and night and enjoy as you prepare to go to sleep. "Let them sing for joy on their beds." (You know how you felt when you found out that that person that you liked actually liked you back...it’s like that.) You make God happy, and God is happy with you. Child of the royal city, be glad.

“Child of the royal city.” Child of the royal city: that's kind of an interesting title, though. Does it remind you of anything else?
It should. 
It should remind you that, a couple thousand years later, this message about God being happy with you hasn’t changed.
A long time after the psalmist wrote his song, some angels came to earth and sang something really similar:

“Don’t be afraid, because I’m bringing you good news of great joy for all people: a Child has been born in the royal city, and He is the Savior. You can go see Him....Praise to God in heaven, and here on earth, peace for those with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2).

There it is again: there’s good news to make you happy.

God is here, and He is pleased with you.

And He always will be. Because the Child born in the royal city is ruling the Royal City now, and He’s going to gather you and all the other children of the Royal City to come be with Him. He’s the King, and He delights in His people.

Sit back.

Take it all in.

Think about it for a long time and let it sink in (even Mary had to do that, and she was there).

Take it to bed with you and turn it over in your head and heart till you fall asleep.

God is here, and He is happy with you.

Immanuel

Immanuel

Immanuel. Here. The Present God, the God who has always chosen to live in the midst of His people. Our Immanuel. All that it means to have You here with us. All that it means to have You here with me. O God - my God - thank You. Your omnipresence is one of my favorite things about You. Despite my own finiteness and my sinful bids for independence that often draw me away from savoring Your presence and being present with You in every moment of my daily life, I can truly say that I'm delighted by Your ubiquitousness that allows us to have constant interaction with You. Beyond Your companionship (which is the jewel of life), Your strength, authority, wealth, gladness, wisdom, love, and grace are such treasures that You have generously given me access to at every point. All that You are, You are here and now with me. This is amazing and praise-inducing. You are Immanuel, the God who incarnates, the One who draws near. I love You, and here and now I come to rest under the shadow of Your wings. 

(This is #3 of 6 personal meditations on God's names and character. Here are the links to Great Physician and Inscrutable.)

What do you treasure?

"Whatever we treasure in our hearts sets the cadence in our lives." - Drew Conley