God Smiles...

I sat with my family last night and watched as hundreds of seniors graduated high school, completing a chapter in life’s journey in our culture. With my son being one of those seniors receiving recognition for 12 years of commitment to education, I thought of how often my wife and I prayed for him and, along with others, made deposits into him for God to smile upon Him, give Him favor, and bring him success.

The Bible gives us clear examples of many lives that gave pleasure to God. One in particular was a man named Noah. In Noah's day, the entire world had become morally bankrupt. Everyone lived for their own pleasure, not God's. God couldn't find anyone on Earth interested in pleasing him, so he was grieved and regretted making man. But there was one man who made God smile. The Bible says, "Noah was a pleasure to the Lord." Genesis 6:8. God said, "This guy brings me pleasure. He makes me smile. I'll start over with his family." Because Noah brought pleasure to God, you and I are alive today.

What can we discover from Noah’s life that brings pleasure to God?

- Love God more than anything else in the world. (Gen 6:9)
- Trust God. Have faith God knows what is best for you. (Heb. 11:7)
- Obey God wholeheartedly. (Gen. 6:22)
- Praise God for who He is and what He has done. (Gen. 8:20)
- Use the abilities God gave and deposited in you. (Gen. 9:1&3)

The above character traits of Noah’s life could be expounded making this blog long. Instead, I put references from the account of Noah’s life, and ask that you take the time to see how Noah’s life made God smile. The Apostle Paul made this his life goal, “More than anything else, I want to please him, whether here or there." (2 Corinthians 5:9)

When I live in light of eternity, my focus changes from "How much pleasure am I getting out of life?" to "How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?"

Will you make pleasing God the goal of your life? There is nothing that God won't do for the person totally absorbed with this goal.