Overwhelming Delight — How God Really Feels About Me (and you)
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Some words seem to fit so rarely that I’m not so sure how real they are or what they even mean. For me, delight is such a word.
Syntcha and I became grandparents in 2018 to our grandson, Declan. Only other grandparents will understand as I struggle to adequately describe wonders I experience when I see my own son, John, as he plays with Declan. To witness their eye contact or how tender they show love to each other — that is Delight. When those moments take me back to John at two years old, holding my hand every Saturday morning in Boston as we walked to the Greek Deli at the end of our street to have breakfast together and our “discipleship partner time”; or afterwards going to the “walking street park” — that is Delight. Or what I experience and feel when I see John marvel at and want the best for Declan — Delight.
Then when I see Declan experience unabashed joy when receiving a gift, hearing a song, freely dancing to that song, watching a bird in flight or a plane overhead, hearing a rooster crow from the farm next door, fear on his face and in his voice when a big gust of wind startles him or hurt when he falls and asks me to kiss his booboo. Every instinct in me is to protect, comfort and make it all better. Does my God really feel that about me?
I ache for Declan to crawl up on the couch and sit next to me or in my lap. And no words that I know describes what explodes in my heart when he runs up to hug me or just stands next to me and puts his little hand on my shoulder and pats me. And nothing prepares you for when you first hear that little voice calling, “papa”? I delight in these moments and the love and compassion they elicit in my heart.
“He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
Psalms 147:8–11 NIV
Now, after 63 years of life, I’m finally truly believing that is how God feels about me, Kevin Darby — wow. Now, I just want to give my Heavenly Father those feelings and that perfect connection.
