My Delight

     Every year our church holds a Thanksgiving service where, instead of a sermon, members share what the Lord has taught or done for them in the past year. Obviously there is not time for all 400 people to share. And there is a difference between having something to share and feeling led to share. More often than not, I do not feel led. This year I made it clear til 12:05 without being prompted to share, although the default praise in the back of my mind was my gratitude for the medical technology which made Reed's kidney surgery a same day, one puncture procedure instead of the big incision, weeks of recovery ordeal it was in the past. At 12:05 the leader laughingly said since Pastor Peter is never finished preaching by then anyway, we would go a little longer. My heart started pounding, which is the Holy Spirit's cue that I am supposed to share. There is no way to unpound a heart and there is no point in delaying since I won't enjoy what other people have to say until I obey the prompting. But the same Spirit who annoyed me into sharing, also led me not to share about Reed's surgery, but something more personal.
     A few weeks ago Peter's sermon was about the Holy Spirit indwelling us. On the way home in the car, I told the Lord that indwelling me must be the most boring, depressing reality show ever. The Spirit immediately impressed into my mind "It is my delight". Delight? That seemed inexplicable to me until I thought about my granddaughter. She could come to me with a runny nose, dirty diaper and food in her hair and I would still be delighted to see her. At a year and a half she is not a brilliant conversationalist, yet I love nearly every sound that comes out of her mouth. And if I can love enough to feel that way about her, surely our loving Father is capable of feeling delight in me.
      As a rule, I seldom tell others about the messages the Holy Spirit gives me. It feels too personal somehow, like sharing a love letter out loud. But when the Messenger tells me to share, it would be wrong to keep it to myself. So now I send this message from the Holy Spirit to you--to His Delight, with mine.