Meditate on Love

The glorious truth—our hearts are meant to be satisfied in God. He delights in us. Our chief purpose is to enjoy God forever. What wonder! That the Creator would not want to selfishly use his power, to squash his creations, but instead work for their enjoyment for his glory!

So, if we are created to enjoy God forever, if that is the chief purpose of man…. Do we see that all throughout the Bible? Take a few minutes and soak in the Word of God throughout history, the Word of God to you. Meditate on Love himself.

Genesis – In the Garden of Eden, God walked in the cool of the day with Adam; it was a perfect relationship! Joy and intimacy! This is what we were created for!

Exodus – The moaning Israelites were pulled out of slavery into a relationship—not just to be the dreary drudges of another lord, but to worship as the treasured delight of God (Ex. 19:4-6).  

Leviticus – Instead of a burdensome list of minute, silly laws meant to keep the Israelites on their toes, Leviticus is a beautiful book that shows how a sinful people can approach a holy God. It is a wooing book to maintain a relationship.  

Numbers – Provision! Blessings from Balaam and Aaron! Presence in the Pillar and Ark!  Preservation shown in the numbering of the people! Despite their grumblings, the Lord himself says of this time, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown” (Jer. 2:2). Delight!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Num.6:24-27).

Deuteronomy – Delight is found in the summarization of Deuteronomy in Moses’ words: “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 7:7-8a, 6:5).

Joshua – God fights for them so that they can enjoy his rest—rest? Rest in the land of God where he dwells.

Judges – Judges presents the flip-side, the failure to delight in God and the resulting consequences. The grief of God, oh, the grief of God.

Ruth – Ruth leaves Moab to follow this Yahweh covenantal God, and is blessed! More than that, her story is caught up as part of the lineage of Christ, God with Us, the One who restores us to the All-Satisfying One!

1 & 2 Samuel , 1 & 2 Kings – “You see how much I love you! I send prophets and miracles and warnings so that you will be my people! I am your God! I will be faithful if you walk before me in integrity. As a holy God, I long for you to be my holy people, with godly kings, with covenant blessings, for your good and my name.”

1 & 2 Chronicles –“Even in the aftermath of failure, I was present and will weave hope into your story. I use all the failures to bring my Son. I will restore true worship in the heart of a unified people.”

Ezra & Nehemiah – “I will work to restore you, for I want you to be my people! I work in history to preserve a remnant for myself, to preserve you for myself. And at the restoration, you and I will both rejoice and delight!”

Esther & Daniel – To those in exile, aliens, persecuted, not-at-home, “I am still present with you and am working in and around you. I have placed you herein this time so that others will know me, so that you will know me, so that you will see my salvation. With this deeper knowledge, deeper trust, you can delight in me and enjoy me!”

Job – To the sufferers, those who are bitter and angry from pain, those who question and cry out, “I desire you to know me, not just to love comforts. I desire you to personally know me. I deign to come down and answer—perhaps not in the way you desire, with the specific answers, but I still care enough to reveal myself to you.”

“I know that you can do all things,  and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you” (Job 42:1, 4).

Psalms –“I invite you to be honest with me, to share your deepest joys, fears, sorrows, problems, praises. Come to my house; come to me in worship, and feast on the abundance of my house, drink from the river of my delights, find life and light” (Ps. 36:8-9).

Proverbs & Ecclesiastes –“I am not a God who hides what is best for you, but I show my intimate secrets of wisdom. This wisdom shows you my character, as well, for I am wise. And I desire you to know my wisdom, to know me.”

“The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning” (Ps. 25:14).

Song of Songs –“I love you. This Song of Solomon only is a type, a foreshadow, of the intimate joys that we will have, the delight you can have in me!”

Isaiah –To those facing crisis before exile, to those in exile, to those returning God declares, “I am the trustworthy one who you can rely on, for I love you; I am the one who will deliver; I am the one who will restore and bring shalom! I will be faithful for I desire a relationship with you. I will send my Servant, for I want you to be able to delight in me.”

“I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love” (Isa. 63:7).

Jeremiah –To those who are helpless, trapped in sin, “I love you so much, I will make a way to me, even when you know it is impossible. I will do the impossible, I will give you a new heart (in my Son) so that we can delight once again, purely, intimately, in each other!”

Lamentations –To those in despair, “Even in suffering, I am faithful, so take hope, even in the blackest, blackest of nights. You are not outside of my hand. I suffer with you.”

Ezekiel –“I see your sins, but I call you to repent and live for I desire life for you. Life! (ch. 1-24). You may feel abandoned, but I am working in the world with my glory and your good in mind, for I am sovereign and just over all the world (ch. 25-32). I will bring hope and restoration under a new Shepherd and I myself will once again be with you. (ch. 33-48). There will be glory among you, there will be joy once again, there will be healing and life for I love you!”

Hosea—To the wayward, unfaithful, wandering, “I will pursue you, no matter how much you run from me. I will allure you through difficulties and blessings, for I long for you. My love will not change.”

Joel –To the repentant, the Lord cries, “Favor once again! I love you so much (and so complete will be my Son’s work) that I will not hold your wandering against you! Favor and blessing once again, such as you have never imagined!” (Joel 2:18-27). To the sinful, God warns in love.

Amos—To those who mourn of the apathy and sin in and around them, “I will preserve a remnant!  I will remember my people, my church, and bless them! You are not alone; you are not forgotten; your work is not futile! In Christ, I have restored the fortunes of my people, firmly planting them! I delight in you so much, so as to firmly establish my purpose for you!” (Amos 9:14).

Obadiah –To those groaning under the sin of the world, the flesh, or the devil, “I love you and will fight for you. I will rescue you from your enemies.

“’Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!’  Behold, I will make you [Edom] small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised.…that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery…. In Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy… the kingdom shall be the Lord's.” (Obad. 1:1-2; Heb. 2:14-15; Obad. 1:17, 21).

Jonah –To those who feel alienated, “I will send people after you! I will forgive. Even if you feel you are outside, I call.” To bigots, sinners, or those reluctant to do his will, the Lord says, “I still love you! See my heart for you, for others!” The universal love of God!

Micah – To those who feel burdened by authorities, to those who feel burdened by religion, the Lord woos, “To walk humbly with your God! This is what I want, my people! I don’t want anything from you—I want you, your hearts. I will send a Messiah to bring peace to my people again, to turn your hearts to me!”

Nahum –To those who feel like pawns of history, caught up in the evil swirls, he promises that he sees, that he will wreak vengeance against the enemies of his people. “Nothing, nothing, can separate you from my love! I am still watching out for you. So trust and rest, trust and peace, then delight in bold confidence!”

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries” (Nah. 1:7-8).

Habakkuk –God? Injustice! God? Suffering! God? Evil in your people! “Trust, my servant. Trust. Though all be dark, rejoice in my sovereign goodness, in my salvation, I will be your strength. Despite the darkness that seems to come, despite your questions, I delight in you and will save” (Hab. 3:17-19).

Zephaniah – To the proud, God warns judgment! Judgment! On Judah and the nations. But oh! Repent! And then the Lord will dwell with you! And delight in you! Sing! (Zech. 3:14-20).

Haggai –To the distracted and self-preoccupied and fearful, “My people! I want to dwell with you! You preoccupy yourself with other things, but you will only find your chief delight in my presence! Finish the temple—this is a way to show your consecration to me, so we can dwell together! I love you!”

Zechariah –Zechariah himself says it well to a people broken and distraught, “On that day [of the Messiah] the Lord their God will save them,  as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women” (Zech. 9:16-17). Delight in God! Delighted in!

Malachi— “’I have loved you,” says the Lord” (Mal. 1:2) begins the Lord, then goes on to confront the people with their sin. But this is his love to them—he loves them! He desires a relationship with them despite their sin and calls them to himself again in true joy-filled, delighting worship.