Have you ever considered what the instant of creation was like? Don’t think of the creation of man as a solemn ceremony in which two people were inducted into the human race. This was the celebration heaven had anticipated. This was a defining moment in the dream the Father, Son, and Spirit had carried in His heart forever!
Imagine the Creator breathlessly sharing this good news with His two just-brought-to-life children. Hear the pleasure in His voice.
Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food,” and it was so (Genesis 1:29-30).
Can you hear the joy in the voice of Boundless Love as you read His words?
“Look! Let me show you what I have for you! Over here are the plants and trees that produce seed for all the great food you will need. And the animals—aren’t they great? You’ll rule over those. I’ve already made provision for their food too. I have it all taken care for you to enjoy—the animals, the birds…everything that moves is here for you to enjoy!”
Think about a time when you gave a special gift to somebody you particularly love. Can you remember the anticipation and excitement of sharing the gift with that person and of seeing the joy he or she would feel upon receiving the gift? Do you remember your joy at seeing that person’s joy?
I remember celebrating my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary with my wife, Melanie. We married when I was nineteen years old so I wasn’t able to buy her much when it came to the size and quality of diamond engagement ring I gave her. It might have been called, “a faith ring” because it reflected “the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” We had both joked about it for years and my intention had always been to buy her a more respectable ring when I was financially able.
As we approached our anniversary, I decided to make it a very special time. I planned a trip to Hawaii and told Melanie that this would be the way we would celebrate. What I didn’t tell her was that I had also put a diamond ring on lay-away at a local jewelry store. They kept the ring in stock and I paid toward the total cost each month. Just prior to our anniversary trip, the ring was paid off and I brought it home.
When we went to Hawaii, I kept the ring hidden until the appropriate moment when we sat at the beach on Maui, under a waterfall. I was so excited about giving her the ring. I knew she would love it. I could barely contain my eager anticipation of seeing her response to getting the ring. The very thought of showing love to her in that way thrilled me.
That’s your God.
From the beginning, He delights in blessing you, in empowering you to live the life He created you to experience, and in giving you everything you need to fulfill the wonderful plan He designed for your life. He’s no frugal, uptight, legalistic, cosmic killjoy. If you think of Him that way, you have Him confused with the god of dead religion. Our God is a joyful God, a dancing God, even a laughing God. He delights over seeing you happily receiving His love. The prophet Zephaniah gave the perfect description.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17 esv).
Isaiah used a marriage metaphor. “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5).
PS. If you want to really go deep into this subject of experiencing God’s love, you’ll appreciate my book, Journey Into Intimacy. Check it out here.
