Gaining God's pleasure . . .

"And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."  Matthew 3:17

I really like this verse.  Why? Because of what it says about His and our relationship with God. 

See why was God so pleased with His son.  Jesus hadn't done "Jack."  There is no account of any works that Jesus had done prior to this announcement of pleasure from His father.  Jesus hadn't healed anyone.  Jesus hadn't walked on water.  Jesus hadn't fed the 5,000; taught any disciples, raised the dead, . . . indeed he had not even removed a hang nail from the paw of a mouse!  I hope you get my drift.  It was not based upn any great work that Jesus had done that God pronounces His pleasure of His son.  So what was the basis?  What is the basis that God would be pleased with us;  with you and I, . . . His children?

For a long time I have taught that it was based solely on His relationship as His child, His son.  I would then note that in the same way, analogous to this, God is pleased with us just because we are His.  I would teach that in simply being His child we garnered God's pleasure.  Indeed, if this were true, than it was quite a comforting thought that nothing was required of to obtain God's pleasure with us.  However, such is not the case.  The problem is, I was confusing His love for us with His pleasure of us.

God loves us unconditionally.  It is the nature of His relationship with us.  It is the love of God that calls men and women to repentance.  It is His love that draws us and completes us.  His love is freely given.  He offers it to all.  He loves you and I.  That is a given.

His pleasure with us, is not.

And how do we gain His pleasure?  We do what Jesus did.  Look a little further back in the passage.

13Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.  Matthew 3:13-16

Did you see it?  Did you?  I missed it so many times before.  We obtain the pleasure of God by doing what is "fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."  See Jesus gained God's pleasure by submitting himself to do that which His father desired . . . all that He required.  We gain the Lord's pleasure by doing the same thing.  We are to do all that the father would require, would direct, would order.  We are to submitt ourselves to His will over our own.  We are to do what is fitting or right to fulfill or live out God's righteousness, His holiness in our lives where we are.  In doing this we gain God's pleasure.

Don't miss that Jesus, the son of God, submitted to John the Baptist.  Point: Our submission to God may require our submission to others; even others who we may think they should be submitting to us. 

This posting is like the shortest scripture in the bible, "Jesus wept."  The scripture is very profound in all that it says, but very short in the communication of it.  Likewise, I will stop now.  This will probably be the shortest post . . . unless I go on. 

God's love . . . nothing requred to obtain.  God's pleasure . . . requires our submission to His will, living in obedience to Him.

Got it?

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Love yah,