31 Days - Transforming My Quiet Time (Day 2)

So I missed "day 1".

We had the joy of having some family in town this weekend and I have been completely away from the computer. :) So I guess I am technically a day late in starting. I'm giving myself permission.

Today my stand out or light bulb verse was from 2 Samuel. My reading plan had me in chapter 22 and the first part of 23. Chapter 22 is noted as "David's Song of Deliverance" in my Bible. I kept thinking it sounded like a Psalm and sure enough after a little bit of flipping back and forth,I found it. 2 Samuel 22 lines up with Psalm 18.

The verse that captured my heart this morning was 2 Samuel 22:20

He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

This verse sums up my year so far. God has brought our family to a broad or spacious place and yes, God rescued us. But today, what struck me was the simple thought that God delights in me.

For a moment, I daydreamed about the things I delight in.

My husband and children, our extended family and nieces and nephews were at the top. My piano and the time with the Lord there, along with the friends God has given us here in GA came to mind. Your list probably sounds similar.

And then I thought of the rose bushes at our old house. The house God sold earlier in the year so that He could place us here. (We call it our spacious place because of the peace that He gave during that entire process.)

I loved those bushes.

At the first sign of a rose I would start watching. It never failed when one or two buds started to form, it wouldn't be long until all the bushes would be full. It was a delight to watch, water, talk to and wait for them to open up.

Then after a little while, it would be time to pinch off the old wilted flower so new buds could grow. It is the only thing from the old house that I really miss. They were a delight to this heart.

What was extra special this morning was the way God tied it all together for me.

Our Pastor preached this morning from John 15. As he taught, I was reminded again that as a Christian that is producing fruit, our vine dresser, Almighty God, will prune us.

Then it hit me, God tied my light bulb verse in with this sermon on gardening.

Our holy, righteous, most high God is constantly "gardening" us, not because He has to, but because He WANTS to. He has very specific fruit for us to produce. Fruit that is one of a kind.

He WANTS to see us produce this fruit because He delights in us.

We are His delight. I am His delight. YOU are His delight.

That absolutely takes my breath away. Sometimes you just need to be reminded that in all his holiness, his majesty, his power...

God Almighty is still our Abba Daddy.

And our Abba Daddy delights in His children.