I often annoy my husband by repeatedly asking a question I have heard him answer many times. “Why do you love me?” He is usually gracious and answers the question, again. As the slightly insecure person I am, sometimes I ask because I like to hear the words, but sometimes I am genuinely confused by his love for me and why he chooses life with me daily. In other words, I recognize that I am definitely not a delight sometimes; yet somehow, my husband delights in me and for that reason (and many others), I in him.  

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God often refers to Israel as a “bride” in a wedding analogy. In addition to today’s Scripture, Isaiah 61:10 also uses a similar picture from a different perspective. It says, “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.”  These two Scriptures paint the picture of the offer God gives and the response of the bride, beaming with pride and ornately clothed to celebrate.  

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This isn’t the typical excitement for a wedding; its “overwhelming joy.” It’s hard for me to completely comprehend this wedding analogy since Isreal is likened to the bride spoken of, and we can read in most of the Old Testament Scripture how very not beautiful they were much of the time. Yet this Scripture states God has “draped me in a robe of righteousness.” The overwhelming joy is that feeling of being chosen, even though they are not worthy. Similarly, we are not worthy. The language in these two Scriptures takes this a step further: The bride isn’t just worthy, according to God, but delighted in.  

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“Delight” is almost an onomatopoeia in my mind. It just sounds like what it means. Several word pictures come to mind: I think of the twinkle in a parent’s eye while watching their child with pride. I think of a delectable dessert you only get every once in a great while, and there’s actual excitement to get to enjoy it. I also think of a beam of light in contrast to darkness. I don’t know what the word “delight” brings to mind for you, but it’s likely lovely, happy things. I have heard it said that “God isn’t mad at you,” and I’ve heard “God loves you,” but in my human understanding of love, there’s often people I love that I don’t necessarily delight in. But to hear that God delights, changes my perspective of His love. To delight is to take great joy in or have overwhelming feelings of pleasure. Have you thought of God's love like this before?  

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One thing we may gloss over when reading these Scriptures is that God will delight in what He chooses to delight in. God chose to clothe his bride, Israel, and by extension through Jesus, the Church, in righteousness. This righteousness is not originating from the bride but given to her by God through Jesus, as we can see in Philippians 1:9-11, which says, “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (ESV).  

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If my husband flipped the script and asked me why I love him, my initial response seems inadequate and even lame, but honestly, one answer is, “because you love me.” The reality is that our joy in being chosen and loved by God is all we have to bring. God brings the “clothing” of righteousness, He adorns us with a crown, He gives us a new name, and He delights in us. All we have is our overwhelming joy in being His. In this joy of being completely known and completely loved, our response is delighting ourselves in Him, as well.  

Maybe you’re wondering how God could possibly delight in you. I often sit in this place. I have found, however, that self-loathing does not help me to feel more worthy. To accept and embrace the love God offers brings more joy and fulfillment than trying to comprehend why He chooses us. Pray a joy-filled prayer of thankful acceptance that God has chosen you. It could sound something like this:  

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God, you are amazing. I could spend my life trying to understand why you chose us, but today I choose to just be joyful you did. Thank you for clothing me in Jesus’ righteousness and choosing us when we are not worthy. God, I reciprocate your delight in me by delighting myself in you today. Amen.