The Scriptures tell us that our God delights in many things. Let us examine some of those things that bring delight to God.

His Son. "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect, One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles." {Isaiah 42:1} The prophet Isaiah foretold that God would "delight" in His Son? Why? First, because he was obedient. "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." {Hebrews 5:7,8} God also loved Jesus because He was His Son! Like any father, it must have brought Him great delight to see His Son place others before Himself. He saw the love His Son had for mankind.

The Sons of Men. "Rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men." {Proverbs 8:31} God desires good for the men of this world. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." {John 3:16} He delighted in men enough to permit His Son to be nailed to the cross for their sins! Why? "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." {2 Peter 3:9} He shows His continued delight in us by giving us time to repent so we can come and live with Him in heaven.

His People. "For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation." {Psalm 149:4} God's motivation for taking great delight in His people is pure love and devotion to bringing them back to Him in the hereafter. All that God has done, what He continues to do, and what He will do, abundantly show His great delight in His own children. Just like any earthly father feels joy when his children do well, our heavenly Father feels joy when we do well.

The Prayer of the Upright. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight." {Proverbs 15:8} When one of God's children is walking according to His truth and prays to request His divine counsel, it brings God great delight. Prayer exhibits that person's deep trust in, and commitment to, the Lord. He leans on God instead of himself.

The Believer's Way. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way." {Psalm 37:23} God takes great pride in the righteous conduct of His children. By this conduct, they give light and direction to those who are lost and dying in sin. Thus, His children demonstrate to those in the world that His way is the best way to live their lives on this earth.

Sadly, when one of His children is not obedient, it brings God great sorrow and pain. He receives no delight from a disobedient child. The disobedient can never bring joy to God, help himself, or help lead others to Him. Dear reader, would the Lord delight in your conduct as one of His children?