Proverbs 8:30-31. 30then I [Wisdom] was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
Every ancient culture has a story about how the universe began, a cosmology if you will. The Bible’s is one of many ancient cosmologies sharing some similarities with all of them. But the Bible’s creation story is also radically different from every other creation story, especially when we consider Proverbs 8 alongside Genesis 1 and 2.
How so?
First of all, in every other creation story there is more than one god. And usually these different gods are fighting. The sky god might be fighting the sea god and as a result the sky and ocean are made. Or the land god might need slaves to work or fight for him so people are created. In the end these stories tell of everything being made from hate and jealousy. From war and conflict.
In the Bible, the creation story is extremely different. Genesis begins with the one God, in three persons, creating the world, not from conflict and jealousy, but from cooperation and love. Humans aren’t made to be God’s slaves, but to image him in creation care. Proverbs takes things a step further, placing Lady Wisdom at creation, but not in a state of conflict or war, but delight. Exuberant rejoicing and playfulness!
In other words, God was happy when he made the universe and he was very happy when he made us. God and Wisdom delighted in the children of man. We aren’t the result of war and hate, we are the result of God’s love and joy! We weren’t made out of necessity, we were made out of desire. Delightful desire.
When Jesus took on flesh, he wasn’t becoming something he despised. He was becoming the creation that he delighted in from the beginning.
When Jesus walked the Earth as man, caring for us, healing us, teaching us, loving us, he wasn’t doing it from contempt, but from compassion.
When Jesus took our sins upon himself on the cross of Calvary, he did not do it from duty alone, but from the joy (delight) set before him.
When Jesus rose from the grave it was not to conquer another god, but to conquer sin and death and free us from our bondage to Satan’s fear tactics.
When Jesus moved into your heart, uniting his life to yours, it was not an act of aggression, but an act of divine delight. Do you believe this? Can you delight in this? Can you rejoice in this?
Habakkuk 3:18. yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
You: Is your relationship with God one of delight, or conflict?
You in Christ: How might your perspective on life change if you fully believed that God delights in you?
Christ in you: How can you demonstrate your delight in Christ today?
Pray: Jesus, everything you’ve done for me was from delight. Help me to delight in you, my King. Amen.
To Live is Christ 