God’s Feelings!

The father of a righteous man has great joy;
he who has a wise son delights in him.

Proverbs 23:24

There are many attributes of God. Perhaps it would be truthful to say that the attributes of God are infinite. If we had access to every shred of truth that exists how could we ever pen the last word of even the definition of God, much less a description of Him? God is all powerful, all knowing, and full of grace and truth and the list goes on forever!

One characteristic that is usually overlooked, and if not it is downplayed is that God is “all emotional.” Even using that term sounds strange, but let me explain. The emotions that we feel and exhibit everyday are part of the “image of God.”

God has feelings too! “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” “Jesus wept.” Numbers 22:22 speaks of God being “very angry.”

One of the ways that the world tries to keep me from being like God is by telling me that it is a sign of weakness if I have and express emotions. There are those who would say being angry is a sin. Of course the Bible says “Be angry and sin not.” So I can be angry and sin or I can be angry and not sin. That is when I am like God. He never sins in His anger.

How did God feel about His Son while Jesus was here on the earth? When Jesus was a boy the Bible says He grew in favor with God and man. When He was a man the voice of God boomed out to Peter, James and John and said that God loved Jesus and was “well pleased” with Him.

How does a father feel about his child when the child is wise? Proverbs 23:15 says that the heart of such a father will be glad. It is the opposite of what a father feels when his child is not wise.

So, Jesus made God “feel good” all the time.

I cannot give God anything that He needs and cannot get anywhere else with one exception. As a child of God I can give Him joy! As I live today one right choice brings joy to the heart of God. When I obey a command of God, when I listen to His voice and step in the direction He chooses then I bring joy to God’s heart.

As a father myself I know a little of how God feels when I obey Him. It is just another look at the heart of God!