My delight is in her

     Today is a Monday.  Monday can be a refreshing start to a new week, or  it can be a nagging reminder of the drudgery that life can be sometimes.  This morning, God refreshed me, and I want to share it with you.  This morning, God settled my recently anxious heart with His declaration of how He cares for me.  This declaration covers all His children, and I pray you find encouragement in it too.

     I was looking for a cross reference this morning when I came upon these verses.  The cross reference has fed my soul more than what I was initially studying.  Isaiah 62:4-5 says this:

You shall no more be termed "Forsaken," and your land 

shall no more be termed "Desolate," but you shall be 

called "My Delight Is in Her," and your land "Married;" 

for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 

For as a young man marries a young 

woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as 

the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, 

so shall your God rejoice over you.

     What sweet, precious words from our Heavenly Father!  

     As a child in the midst of abuse, I was forsaken.  Those who could have helped me had no clue what was going on, and the one adult who ever questioned me about my coach hurting me took my assurance he was not at face value and did nothing despite her gut telling her something was off (why else would she ask).  

     After it was over and I found the ability to tell someone, I have had more people walk away than I care to count.  Over and over people I thought could help, would help, saw my mess and my brokenness and with their actions called me "Forsaken."  Time and again it was clear...I was termed "Forsaken" even by God's people.

     Maybe, unfortunately it's likely, you have been termed "Forsaken" just like me.  That name is more than a name, and it stings.  It cuts deep, and it isn't easily forgotten or replaced.

But God calls me and you "My Delight Is in Her!"

     I'm a bit of a nerd, so I looked up the word "delight" used here in the Strong's concordance.  It is defined as "a valuable thing, acceptable, delight, matter."  Dear sister, while others have called you and me "Forsaken" and deemed our broken mess not worth their time or effort, our Father in heaven says we are valuable to Him.  We are acceptable, brokenness and shame and hurt and all, to Him.  We are a delight to Him.  We *matter* to Him.  As the psalmist says, such truth is too wonderful for me.  This is a truth I will have to think on and remind myself daily as I don't believe this most days, but He says it.  He says it, so it is true.  He has renamed us.  No longer our we named "Forsaken."  We now have the precious name of "My Delight Is in Her."  

     

     The end of verse 5 is sweet balm to my soul too.  "so shall your God rejoice over you."  I will never forget the look on my husband's face as I walked down the aisle at our wedding.  The joy was inexpressible with words, but his face said enough.  That was just a small, imperfect glimpse of the joy God pours over me.  His delight in you and me leads Him to rejoice over us.  He treasures us even when others are not willing to walk this hard road with us for the sake of their own comfort.  God calls us "My Delight Is in Her," and He shows it by rejoicing over us!

My dear, beloved sisters, you are a delight to the 

One who created you!  You are valuable to Him.

He accepts you with all your wounds and delights

in you because you matter to Him!  He rejoices 

over you now and forever.  No longer are you 

"Forsaken."  You are now "My Delight Is in Her."