Delighted in you

New poem out of worship this morning. How does God feel about you? He's delighted in you!

Delighted in you

When you think of yourself, I wonder, what are thoughts?

Are your feelings complex, like you can't explain?

But have you forgotten how your father sees you?

Well let me remind you then remind you again,

Delighted in you, delighted in you

Your God and your King is delighted in you!

When he on his throne high above all things

Looks down onto you with his fathomless gaze

He smiles as only a father can smile

For not just this moment but each and every day

Delighted in you, delighted in you

Your God and your father's delighted in you!

When he saw the stain of the sin on your soul,

He was not slow to act nor quick to disown

But instead sent his son for one simple cause

That you'd be restored, that he'd call you his own.

Delighted in you, delighted in you

Your God and your saviour's delighted in you!

But how, you may wonder, are my efforts enough

Can they stand up to his ultimate goal?

My friend, all your efforts are nothing before

What Jesus imprints on your sin-blackened soul.

Delighted in you, delighted in you

Your God and your saviour's delighted in you!

He looks on your heart and there plain as day

Like a watermark stamped through each layer of you

Not your efforts or failings, no, they are not there!

Instead, Jesus' character and rightness shine through.

Delighted in you, delighted in you

Your God and your King is delighted in you!

Today, you stand here as the guilty redeemed

Your debt fully paid in Jesus' scars

And one day you'll stand with your Heavenly Father

Your days with as numerous as the night's sky's stars!

Delighted in you, delighted in you

Your God and your saviour,

Your king and your brother,

The Lord of all things

The alpha, omega

My brothers and sisters

Know this loud and true

That the God who we know through Jesus Christ

Is fully, undeniably delighted in you!

First fruit thoughts

In times gone by, before Jesus came,
His people knew to give
The first and best of what they grew and made
Which they required to live.

They'd give it as the 'first of fruits'
Back to the hand who gave
As a mark of respect and thanks to Him
Who their people had saved.

Whatever they had, they'd bring to him
At the harvest of each season
For they recognised the hand He'd had
Thanks was their strongest reason.

No broken offering was sufficient
For their King had given them much
And so they brought their first and best
Of whatever they grew as such.

I've no doubt that sometimes they muttered,
In giving up their very best
After all, it's always tempting
To hold onto what you value best.

But, bring they would, their offerings
To offer at the temple door
They brought what was sufficient
Always expecting him, each year, for more.

For, they knew their father loved them greatly,
This offering of theirs was actually joy!
For He had watched over their whole year
That they might life and Him enjoy.

The heart of the people long ago
Was to thank the Lord for what He'd done.
He then blessed them as they walked with him
For they made Him number one.

These days, although what we earn looks different
There are 'first fruits' all across our lives
From the first moment that we wake up
To the cash which funds how we often survive.

And that principle which those people kept
Thousands of years ago lives strong!
God honours every first fruit, especially time,
No matter how short or long.

So, in the moments which you have,
Make Him the first fruit of your day,
And watch how he takes your smallest moments
And uses them to shape and mold your day.