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When Cindy and I first got married she asked me two questions quite often. First she would say, “Do you love me?” That one was pretty obvious but the second one took a little longer for me to learn the meaning of what she was really asking. I have to confess that I was somewhat challenged in the romance gifting so Cindy had to teach me well and I’m thankful she was a patient tutor. After asking, “Do you love me?” she would always follow it up by asking, “Do you like me?”
I guess I was just a typical dude because most guys would reply to that question by saying, “I just told you I love you so doesn’t that mean I like you?”
This is where us fellas miss the boat entirely as we stand on the dock of ignorance and watch the dinghy of romance slowly drift out to sea. Our opportunity to envelope our spouses with emotional bliss just sailed off without us as we throw our hands up in the air in clueless bewilderment.
It took me some time yet I eventually learned that loving is not the same as liking. Cindy knew that I could love her from a distance, but by asking me if I like her, she was asking if I enjoyed being with her in that moment; she wanted to be reassured that I delighted being close to her.
The doctrine of grace teaches us that God accepts us just the way that we are. God’s unconditional love and acceptance is a life-saving, judicial truth; we are forgiven on the merit of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross plus nothing. We are accepted into God’s eternal family based on the righteousness of Christ alone. But merely accepting someone doesn’t suggest desire or delight. In some cases, acceptance may appear to be a relational virtue acclaimed just slightly above tolerance; “God accepts you just the way you are” is lovely, but “God enjoys you” is something much different—it’s a spiritual game changer.
God’s creating us, choosing us, and redeeming us all point to the undeniable fact that He delights in us. Hear these words beloved: GOD ENJOYS YOU. HE DELIGHTS IN YOU. God wants to be with you now and forever. Though we are certainly called to serve Him by serving others, He is not some cosmic utilitarian being who wants us only for what we can accomplish for Him. He is a loving Father who wants to do life together with us—every moment of the day.
From the beginning of creation God was found walking in the cool of the day with the very first man and woman. Psalm 139 reminds us that God’s thoughts toward us are more than the sands of the sea. David prayed that God would “Keep me as the apple of your eye” (Psalm 17:8). God’s delight in us has to do with much more than just a saving agenda, He delights to be with us.
The prophet Zephaniah envisioned the great God of the universe singing and dancing over His people with joy, declaring: “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)
The prophet went on to describe a picture of forthcoming festive celebration when God gathers the brokenhearted, the oppressed, the lame, and the outcast, and turns all their shame into praise and jubilee. He promises not only to save, but that He would make them “renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth.” This picture of God singing and dancing over His redeemed people portrays a God that doesn’t just accept you or tolerate you; He is a perfect Father who adores you, delights in you, is madly in love with you, and will move mountains and oceans to be with you.
God doesn’t just love you, He likes you. Remember that as you abide in Him today.
The fashion in which God created us, chose us, and redeemed us all point to the undeniable fact that He delights in us; He doesn’t just tolerate us.
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