How can such a small thing make one so happy? I was recently looking through photos of my kids’ trip to Michigan they took this past Christmas. At first I didn’t think I would be able to look at them, afraid I’d miss them way too much. But instead it created a very happy feeling for me. Yes I do miss them terribly, but seeing them happy made me happy.
Then I began to wonder – is God happy when I’m happy? Sad when I’m sad? Does even thinking in that light make Him any less God? I don’t believe so. Why so many references in the Bible to a father figure, parents, wives, husbands, children if they weren’t meant as some sort of example to see God and our relationship with Him?
Your God is present among you,
a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
and delight you with his songs. (Zephaniah 3:17 The Message)
I believe God is sad when I make the wrong choice and turn away from Him and I also believe He smiles when I make the right choice and turn towards Him once again. Life is full of choices and my prayer is I will put fewer frowns on my Daddy’s face and more smiles.
Our marriage is supposed to be a reflection of Christ and His bride, the church, so I believe all relationships within the family have been designed to reflect what it means to have relationship with God. I often relate things with my child as a glimpse of how God may feel when I do certain things. I do believe God smiles when we’re happy and grieves along with us when we’re sad, just like we do with our kids, even though we’re an imperfect example.