June 2nd, 2026

Hi Friends,

No adult I know takes delight in things like my youngest sister, Colleen. When it comes to delight, she is a piece of work! Shortly after her sixty-fifth birthday, Sharon and I stopped at her home in Medicine Hat on our way to an event in Saskatchewan. Because I know she loves it, we took her a cooler full of Chinese takeout. When she saw it, she literally yipped and then started doing a happy dance in view of the neighbourhood! On the rest of our trip, we were regaled with texts expressing her joy at yet another meal of Chinese food or the fact that she needed to put on her sweat pants because she was going to eat some more Chinese food (we had given her quite a bit of food). Her nieces and nephews call her “Aunty Candy,” as do her grand nieces and nephews. When she visits, they are inundated with sweet treats. When they visit, she counts down the days. Recently, she slipped into a local seniors’ home just so she could have a short visit with Laura and Emily (Emily’s choir was touring and gave a short concert at said facility.). She was so grateful to have heard Emily sing and to have seen the two of them. If I hear the word, “delight,” I think of Colleen and the joy she exudes over the things and people in which she finds great joy.

Merriam Webster defines delight as: “a high degree of gratification or pleasure; something that gives great pleasure.” Some form of the word “delight” occurs 105 times in the New International Version of the bible. More than 25 percent of those occurrences are in the Psalms. A godly person delights in the law of the Lord (Ps.1:2). The psalmist testifies, “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (18:19) “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (37:4) “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; …” (37:23) In Psalm 119, the psalmist says no less than nine times that he delights in God’s law or commands. “…the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (147:11) “For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” (149:4)

If my sister delights in you, you feel special. That is all there is to it. You feel like you are the centre of her universe and that no one else matters like you. You are worthy of all the love and gifts which she bestows on you. She is grateful for your presence and tends to squeal or dance when you give a gift to her. You are seen and appreciated, no matter the condition of your life.

My friends, do you understand that this is the way God sees you and treats you? The prophet Zephaniah looks forward to the day when God’s salvation is completely worked out. Seeing that day from a distance, he notes two things: God will sing over his children; he will delight in them. (3:17)

You may or may not be in a great place right now but I want you to know one thing above all. Right now, God loves you and delights in you! Enjoy him. Accept his love, his forgiveness, his help! You are one of his children in whom he delights. Nothing will ever change that. May that truth shape your life this week and into your future!

Blessings!

Doug