Made for His Pleasure

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Ephesians 1: 3-6

I've struggled a lot in my life with insecurity. I've kind of always operated under the assumption that others wouldn't want to be my friend, so I hang back, just assuming that I will be on the out, just like I've felt for a good portion of my life. This may surprise a lot of people, but I really have to be prayed up and have an extra dose of God-security to take initiative in relationships. It isn't natural to me.

You can't even imagine the transformation in this mom's heart when someone revealed to me that God had pleasure in me...that he was delighted to create me. It was His will. I was unconditionally loved and accepted - all the time, no matter what - not because I was good enough, not because I did the right things - but simply because.

....because we were made to the praise of His glorious grace. He pours out his spiritual blessings on us because He made us to take pleasure in us. He made us to bring Himself glory - and He knows we can't even do that without He Himself providing the resources to do so.

Do you realize that you were made for His pleasure? ...that you are the object of His delight? That he wanted to create you, planned to create you before the world was even made?- so that He could adopt you and permanently have your heart?

Oh, I hope so. Because that realization makes all the difference in the world.

With the kids: I'm not sure if I can think of anything more important than for our kids to understand why they were made - to know that they are unconditionally loved and accepted. Sometimes we just think that they need that from us as parents. They do need that from us. But they need most of all to know that they have it from God. Unconditional love and acceptance from us moms can only really come when we ourselves have understood and accepted God's unconditional love for us and are able to pass it on.

Father, thank you for your fresh reminders from your word that you loved us and wanted us before the world began. You are the ultimate parent. Would you wash away my insecurities with your love and cause me to soak in the love you have for me, so that I can be all you want me to be - and so I can pass that security and love on to my kids. Amen.