But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)
| Well-pleased
Unto Willingness by Cathy Vinson |
"He delights the very breath of Me" is another way this could be written of the Father about the Son. Can we think of another whose very remembrance in our thoughts brings such delight to our soul, perhaps our own child? God is so well-pleased. As we dwell on that delight of the very soul of the Father, we seem to enter into the innermost chambers of God. We might explore the depth expressed by this word, delight (eudokia) and find that another word is being activated in that same place..."willing." It's as if when God is so aroused in delight, a willingness takes place. Vine, about this word, writes " (it is) not merely understanding, (but) willingness and freedom of an intention or resolve regarding what is good." God is so pleased, He wills; He will "put My Spirit upon Him" (12:18). This same delight is used by Paul in exclaiming "being so affectionately desirous of you, we were willing (eudokia) to not only impart...but our very souls as well, because you were so dear to us" (1 Th 2:18). As we lay requests before our Father, perhaps we should seek His action as an overflow of being well-pleased, to seek His pleasure in the request. May He be so delighted that it swells over into action, the reverse parallel of what temptation would be to sinful humankind. Desiring His good pleasure on a situation or person is being thoughtful of Him. Perhaps out of that pleasure will swell over the resolve to meet that situation with His goodness. More than the answers to our requests themselves, let us find the depth of well-pleasing in God, which is in His Son. Therein is the making of resolve and willingness...for His sake. |
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Beloved, in Whom My soul is well-pleased..." (Matthew 12:18)
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