Companionship

My sister Barbara enjoying the dance.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family

 by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. 

This is what he wanted to do,

 and it gave him great pleasure.

 Eph. 1:5 (NLT)

God takes great pleasure in his children.  Whether we love to dance or cook or play sports he loves to join with us in all we enjoy.  He came to give us an abundant life full of beauty and joy. Even in the struggles and the hardships, he is there to support us and his presence can beautify even the most unlovely and unpleasant situations.  

God went to a lot of trouble to make a way for us to be close to him.  The process he had to go through of being born as a human baby, living on this troubled planet among troubled people, and finally dying at the hands of sinful men was not an easy one.  In fact, his death was the most excruciating and painful that any person has ever suffered.  And yet, he was not only willing, but eager to go through all of that and for what?  - so that we, his precious creation, could come back to him and live close to him.  He simply wanted to be with us, to enjoy our company and make us part of his family and he was willing to pay any price to make that happen.

Lord, thank you for going through so much so that we could be restored to companionship with you. Thank you for the joy we experience as we enjoy life together.

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;

 He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

 Ps. 149:4 (NASV)