I love the times when Tom cups my face in his hands, his eyes shining, “I sure like you,” he says softly. Now, I know he loves me… there is no doubt; he has been loving me 60 plus years (our 60^th anniversary is this March 14). But when he expresses his love with the word “like”… well, that’s just special.

There’s something about the word like, especially when someone has to love us!! Love means commitment and yes, those multiple words we use with romance. Despite our idiosyncrasies, our changeable moods and “bad hair” days, we are still loved by the one committed to love us.

But like… speaks a different language. It says I enjoy you; I take pleasure in you… I delight in you this moment (maybe not on a bad hair day!) You make my heart glad. Love, coupled with like, ensures a deep, confident relationship.

Brennan Manning shares the story of a friend visiting an uncle in Ireland to celebrate the uncle’s 80^th birthday. The two of them were walking on the shore of Lake Killarney early morning on the special day. They stopped in silence, watching the sunrise for a full twenty minutes. The nephew noticed that his uncle was wearing an exceptional happy expression. When asked why he was smiling so big, the uncle replied, “The Father of Jesus is very fond of me.”  (Reflections for Ragamuffins, p4).

Manning writes: God must love us: it’s His very nature. He would not be God if He didn’t. But is He fond, very fond, of you… of me? The realization that our Father God likes us, that He takes pleasure in us, reveals the tenderness and acceptance He has for you and me.

“The Lord delights, takes pleasure… in those who fear Him (who stand in awe of Him), who put their hope in His unfailing love.” Psalm 147:11

I find often in Scripture  we are admonished to “delight in the Lord”… to  find joy in the Lord… This joy, this being liked, is reciprocal. What God likes about us is that we take joy in Him.

I see “wonderful” in every bush and flower; I literally choose to joy in my surroundings.  I dance in the starshine! I am aware of His pleasure.  He, in turn, delights in my delight!

“… for the Lord takes delight in His people… (Psalm 149:1-5)

One of my favorite verses… “The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty  to save. He will take great delight (not just delight, but great delight!) in you. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

Why?

Because He has chosen you and me. I love the Amplified version of this thought… He has actually picked you out for Himself  that you (and I) should be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4).

I could say it is somewhat hard, almost impossible, to delight in any part of  this day… I mean the weather is  terribly cold, impossible to go for a walk; the ground is frozen solid; the roads are covered with ice.  What can I delight in today in this gray, frigid Tennessee weather?                    But then…Knowing we are not only loved, but liked… believing this eternal God takes great delight in our pleasure of Him is life changing.

This is not a sunrise off the coast of Ireland, but it was my sunrise over snow yesterday. “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it”  (Psalm 118:24).

… being loved and liked…