The Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.
Psalm 148:4-5
The beloved grandson Facetimes with Rick and me almost every day. He has an uncanny way of knowing exactly when we are about to eat supper, and that is when he calls on his daddy’s phone. If we eat quite early (say 5:30), If we sit down at 7:10, he calls at 7:11. I don’t know how he does it, but his record is close to perfect. But no matter when he calls, we are always happy to see his dear face, and hear him say, “Hey, Grammy! Hey Grandiddy!” Yesterday he called just as I was walking in the door. It was just after 5:00, and he wanted me to see him eating a gigantic ice cream sandwich from the local ice cream shoppe called “Daddy’s Dairy.” He knows I love those delicious homemade treats. Of course since I gave up sweets for Lent it was just as well I could not reach through the phone and grab a bite. It lifted my spirits quite a bit just to know he wanted to share his joy with me.
Another day, he asked his mother to send me a link to a cartoon he had watched at school that was all about flamingos, because he knows I love those big pink birds. He always asks Rick about his golf game (“Did you hit the ball in the bunker, Grandiddy?”), and counts the Jeep Gladiators he sees on his trips around town.
There is something about a child who wants to share his (or her) delight at the new things they see or learn or think of with a parent ,or grandparent, or adult friend that can just make one feel such joy. It can bring out the sunshine on the gloomiest, grayest day.
And it occurred to me that God must be just as overjoyed when his children take time to share their joys with God. So often we go to God mainly when we want something, or when we are at our wit’s end.
But too often I neglect to share my joys with the Creator. Once upon a time, many years ago, another clergywomen and I were driving through the Orange County countryside toward Camp Chestnut Ridge. It was October, and the leaves were spectacularly bright and beautiful. Spontaneously we broke into applause. “God really does good work,” she said. “Yes!” I replied eloquently.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism’s first question is, “what is the chief end of man?” The answer is, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Maybe in these strange times we lie in, we ought to make the time to glorify and enjoy God. I believe it would make God happy.
From all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise;
Let the Redeemer’s name be sung,
Through every land by every tongue.
In every land begin the song;
To every land the strains belong;
In cheerful sounds all voices raise,
And fill the world with loudest praise.
Pastor Rachel Moser