Pleasing God

Our parents have the highest authority over our lives as long as we remain under their care and protection. If we are disobedient with them, we will be punished for sure. However, if we put on our best behavior by being obedient and carrying out the things that are expected of us, our parents will be happy and pleased with us. For instance, if we obey and respect our parents, do all our chores with perfection, get good grades at our school, etc., our parents will be very pleased with us. This will make sure we have an edge over our siblings in everything. The same at schools and colleges too. Our teachers too will be very pleased with us, if we do what is expected of us – respect them and be obedient to them, complete our assignments on time, score good grades, etc. We will also see them favoring us over others.

If pleasing parents and teachers brings us benefits, how will it be if we pleased God, the supreme authority over all creations. Can we please God by any chance? Let us look into the treasure book to hunt out clues.

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:21-22

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

Matthew 17:5

In the first passage from Luke, Jesus is getting baptized. When He prayed, the heaven opened and Father God confirmed that He is well pleased with Jesus, His son. In the second passage from Matthew, Jesus took Peter, James, and John on a high mountain and He transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. There they heard the voice of God from heaven confirming to them that Jesus is His son and that He is well pleased in Him.

Jesus during His life time on earth, pleased God so very well.

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5

Enoch walked with God all his days (Genesis 5: 21-24). He too pleased God.

We saw that Jesus and Enoch pleased God. So it is possible to please God. If they could, definitely we too can.

Faith

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

Faith pleases God. Faith is a thorough belief without seeing or having any solid proof. We do not see God, but definitely believe in the existence of God. Believing in the all powerful God and having faith that He rewards those who diligently seek Him pleases Him. We see many people with extraordinary faith in the Bible. During the ministry of Jesus, many were healed because of their faith. The woman with the issue of blood is one such example. Jesus tells her – “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Luke 8:40-48). There were even times when Jesus Himself marveled at the faith of certain people like the centurion who is mentioned in Matthew 8. So faith pleases God and brings about deliverances.

Faith pleases God

Doing what is expected of us

Doing what God expects from us pleases Him. So we should get to know what He expects from us.

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 10:12

God expects us to love Him and serve Him with all of our being. As Jesus taught, the first and greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind” (“Give it all”). Keeping the greatest commandment pleases Him. We also have to serve Him with all our heart and soul. Only if we love Him with all our being, we will be able to serve Him with all of our being. And this pleases God.

To Fear the Lord is to hate wickedness and all evil ways as we already learned in “The Fear of the Lord”. So God expects us to hate all evil and wicked ways.

We are also expected to walk in all His ways. We saw Jesus and Enoch walked with God and in all His ways, no wonder God was pleased with them! Walking in His ways is to keep His commands. How do we get to know His ways?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 14:26

The word of God teaches us about God, His likes & dislikes, His commands and everything else about Him. By reading and meditating the word of God, we get to know His ways and commands. As we know, Holy Spirit lives inside of us from the time we accept Jesus as our savior. Holy Spirit is the one who reveals to us the word and teaches us His ways. Doing good, loving, sharing, obedience, humility, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness, faithfulness, etc., are few of His ways. As you read and meditate on the word, more of His ways will be revealed to you. Walking in all His ways also pleases Him.

So we, His children, are expected to love and serve Him with all our being, walk in His ways and hate evil & wicked ways.

If we do what is expected of us, God will definitely be pleased with us!!!

After King David, his son Solomon became the king of Israel. We will look into an instance from Solomon’s life that pleased God and see how it benefited him.

After Solomon offered sacrifices, the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night and said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to David my father. Now, O Lord my God, You have made me king, but I am a little child in the midst of Your people who are too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give me an understanding heart to judge Your people rightly.” This pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked for wisdom. Then God said to him: “Because you have not asked long life nor riches for yourself, nor the life of your enemies, but asked for understanding to discern justice, I have done according to your words. I have given you a wise and understanding heart. There has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.

Israel was the chosen people of God and had become a big nation by now. David had many sons besides Solomon, but he was chosen as king of Israel after David. Handling the affairs of God’s chosen people and serving them is serving God. Solomon knew, he had to take care of the nations affairs in justice as this is God’s way. He needed divine wisdom to serve the people. When God appeared, Solomon asked only for a wise heart to judge His people, when he had the opportunity to ask for riches, long life, or anything else he desired. But he put God first. Serving God & His ways were a priority over his own desires. This pleased God. God not only gave him the wisdom he asked for, but also riches and honor which he did not ask. God made him the wisest of wise amongst all generation. Fame, Riches and Honor followed Him. The one instance that pleased God changed Solomon’s life forever.

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

1 John 3:22

As we established before, Walking in His ways and keeping His commandments pleases Him. If we please Him, we will receive whatever we ask for. From Solomon’s life we see that we will receive more than what we ask for.

Treasures uncovered

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for teaching us what is expected of us. Help us to walk in all your ways, love you & serve you with all our being and hate all evil & wicked ways. Holy Spirit, teach us the ways of God and help us to have faith in God. Help us to live a life pleasing in your eyes. In Jesus name, Amen.

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