A few years ago, I decided to make a friend a quilt for Christmas. I spent hours choosing the fabric wanting it to represent certian aspects of his life that were important to him and be something that would remind him of the relationship we had shared. It took months to complete but when finished it was exactly what I had envisioned!

Christmas finally arrived and we exchanged gifts. I could hardly wait for him to open it. It had been one of the most delightful gifts I had ever given and his response only accentuated my pleasure.

The dictionary defines delight as "to satisfy greatly, to please, to bring joy." It brought great joy to my heart to please this friend, to give him something that brought joy. Our heavenly Father regards us as gifts that He delights in. According to the dictionary that would mean that He, God the Father, is pleased with you and me. That God, this King of Kings, finds great pleasure in you and me.

Often I wonder how, with my failures, God could be pleased with me, how He could take joy in me when I make choices that don't honor Him, how He can find great pleasure in this child who at times takes one step forward and two steps back.

The answer to my pondering is found in the first sentence of Ephesians 1:11. Moreover, because of what Christ has done....The Father spends much time preparing the way for us. I believe just as I carefully considered every detail of the quilt for my friend, God considers every detail of our lives, those that are good and bad, and blends them together to accomplish His will for each of us. This isn't dependent on my failures and successes. This was decided from the beginning as the remainder of verse 11 states: for as part of God's sovereign plan we were chosen from the beginning to be his, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. Because of what Jesus did, this is possible for you and me. Jesus is the One who makes it possible for the Father to delight in His children. Through Jesus we are gifts the Father delights in. When we offer ourselves to God, we are a precious present that brings Him great joy.

-Connie Johnson

Just as my friend's eyes radiated joy and his smile said pleasure over his gift, God's joy and pleasure in His gift, you and me, is more intense and profound than we can even imagine.