He Enjoys Our Company. . .

This past weekend I was taking down our Christmas tree while our grandchildren, Jackson and Emma, were visiting.  As I begun I realized that little hands that had been warned for forty-something days "don't touch that tree!" might enjoy actually being able to touch some of the ornaments.

At first Jackson had no interest in the project, but his sister Emma was definitely interested, and I had a plan for that interest. 

"Emma," I told her, "you can take off all the icicles and put them right over here," I said pointing to one of the chairs in the living room. 

Emma enjoyed looking for the icicles and was especially delighted when she found several in  an area within her reach.  Next on the plan was the candy canes.  After that she worked on the snowflakes.  Her brother ambled in and removed some of the glass ornaments.  His six year old hands removed them with all the care that his grandfather and I had used in putting them on the tree.  But his little boy attention span soon tired of removing ornaments and he left Emma and me for the hope of throwing the baseball with his dad.

When I asked Emma and Jack to join me in taking down the Christmas tree, it wasn't because I needed their help.  In fact, I could have accomplished the tasks they completed much quicker than they did.  I ask them to join me because I enjoy their company and I thought they might enjoy the project as well.

The Lord invites us to participate in His working, too.  He invites us to participate by praying and by following His will.  He doesn't do that because He needs us to do those things.  I suspect that as I could have performed Emma's tasks quicker and more efficiently than she did, the Lord could do things much easier without us than with us.  He invites us to join Him because He enjoys our company.  Or as the Scriptures describe it,

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is His delight,"  (Proverbs 15:8).

If we ever let that one thought sink deep within our hearts it will astound us. . .our prayers delight the Lord.  He doesn't tolerate us, He doesn't put up with us, our prayers delight Him.  How incredible is that?

Just as I asked Emma and Jack to help me, simply because I wanted their company, the Lord desires our company, too.  Knowing that should bring prayers to our lips much, much more than ever before.

If My Voice

Words & Music by Glen Davis

If my voice is sweet to you, Lord,

As Your Word declares,

And if You somehow find delight in my prayers.

And if Your face You call me to seek, Lord,

Your face, I will seek,

And my voice You will hear. . .

ingan