“I will rejoice over them to do them good.”

Jeremiah 32:41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will truly plant them in this land with all My heart and all My whole soul.

Devotional by Charles Spurgeon

[How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God’s people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us.]

What a wonderful scripture that is. Just knowing our God rejoices over us surely brings warmth to my heart. As I was reading this devotional today it is amazing how from back in Charles Spurgeon’s time till today, it appears not too much has changed. Yes, we have more modern conveniences but we are still groaning, have many burdens, and we are very conscious of our sinfulness and unfaithfulness. Well, if we are not then we should be. I know I am happy that the Lord does rejoice over me. When you walk with Christ you can be sure the Father rejoices over those that choose to walk in His Son’s-light.

[We do not read anywhere that God delighteth in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that he delighteth in the habitable parts of the earth, and that his delights are with the sons of men.]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! That means me and you.

[We do not find it written that even angels give his soul delight; nor doth he say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, “Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee”; but he does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, but saved, exalted, and glorified by his grace. In what strong language he expresses his delight in his people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, “He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” As he looked upon the world he had made, he said, “It is very good”; but when he beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus’ blood, his own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvelous declaration of his love, and sing, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation?”]

That paragraph was so good I couldn’t find a place where to inject my thoughts. When I got to the part “of being purchased in Jesus blood, His own chosen ones,” what can you say but “thank you Lord”! Yes I want to utter my grateful response because of Christ’s love for me on the Cross.

Next month the God’s Love Outreach Ministry will be presenting the Program Seeds of Tradition from the Seeds for Christ series. It is a collection of older hymns and as I am singing them to God’s many wounded I will also be singing, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation!” as Charles Spurgeon so wonderfully wrote in this devotional.

From God’s heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott