What Makes Him Happy?

Being 'good enough' is not my goal.  Getting my act together is not my goal.  Checking all the boxes - keeping busy with 'God' stuff - is not my goal.

The historical account of Jesus' baptism tells me what pleases God, what makes him happy.

I do.

You do, through the washing by the Spirit and faith in Jesus!

I was redeemed by his sacrifice on the cross, I was adopted by God and became one of his precious daughters.  'Joint heirs with Jesus' - as an old hymn describes it.  What Jesus did for me makes me 'good enough'.

While reading about Jesus' baptism, I realize a very important fact.  Jesus hadn't started his ministry yet.  He hadn't DONE anything huge for God.  "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."  Matthew 3:16-17.

Let's take a moment to let that soak in, my brothers and sisters.  Jesus was God's son and God was pleased with him - before his ministry began.  Before Jesus did any miracles.  Before he did any teaching.  During this spectacular moment when all parts of our Triune God met on earth, all the Father God wanted to say was how much he loved his son, Jesus.

Accepting salvation through Jesus makes you and I children of God and, as with his son, Jesus, God is pleased with us.  It's not what anything we do, it's all about who we are.

Feel his smile shining down on you.
Feel his unconditional love.
Feel his forgiveness for any guilt that is weighing heavy on your shoulders.
Feel his peace flow over you in a supernatural way.
Feel his strength flow through you as he walks right beside you each day.
Let his joy fill your heart today.

Don't DO anything.  Just feel the pleasure he has as he looks at you.  He sees himself in you.  We are all created in his image, yet each one of us reflects different aspects of him - making us all uniquely his.

I am important to God.  He has made me special.
You are very important to him.  He has made you special.

And he is pleased.