Because It Pleases Him

“For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.” (1Sa 12:22 AV)

There are several truths in which the child of God can take comfort.  The first and foremost is that God will not forsake His people.  Can will not.  He cannot.  To forsake His people of covenant would go against His character and nature.  He can no more forsake the people of His covenant that He can express a lie.  More than that, His love and mercy will not allow for it either. It is the second half of the verse is which we wish to meditate.  The second half of the verse gives motive to God’s faithfulness to His people.  It reveals the very heart of God towards those to whom He has made promise.  He has not sworn faithfulness because of anything accomplished by the people.  He has not promised His faithfulness because of some worth they bring to the God of faithfulness.  He has not vowed His faithfulness due to some intrinsic value which the people possess of which God may profit.  He has promised His faithfulness because it pleases Him to make the saints His people.  He is faithful because it brings pleasure.

The pleasure of God implies so much.  Because His motive is within Himself and not from that which we are or do, this is liberating to the saint.  Both liberating, but also implies obligation.  This truth removes all pretense to our obedience and faith.  We do not live in obedience and faith because we are attempting to earn God’s favor or acceptance.  We have God’s favor and acceptance because it pleases Him.  Like a mother who sees her child only as a source upon which she may shower her love, God desires to bless those whom He loves.  As a mother will look beyond the faults and demands of a child, God loves us because He created us.  He loves us because it pleases Him to do so.

What is rather sobering is to consider how much of that love we take for granted.  A child can be excused from his selfishness.  He doesn’t understand the fullness of a parents sacrifice and love.  He will in time.  When he or she becomes a parent, it will become obvious that Mom and Dad sacrificed and love a lot.  The child of God has the word of God as his or her instruction of just how much God loves us in spite of what and who we are.  We are ungrateful at the sacrifice and love of those whom God has given.  Even more so, the LORD.  He loves us in spite of our nature.  In spite of our choices, He loves us because it pleases Him.  Yet, we take that love for granted and continue to live a life He has given to our own pleasure.  May we stop and meditate on the truth that it pleases God to love us and nothing more.  May the goodness of the LORD lead us to repentance.