What makes God happy? Or another way to ask that, what gives God pleasure, what pleases Him? I ask because Father’s Day is coming up, you think about getting Dad a gift, what would make Dad happy? New golf clubs or a fishing pole? Steaks on the grill? So what would make God our Father in heaven happy? What would be an appropriate gift?
Jesus was preaching in Luke 12 and said this in v. 32: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It makes God happy to provide for His children, to care for them, to feed them, and clothe them. He gives them the kingdom, and we receive His gifts with open hands and are grateful. When you get a good gift, you say, “Thank you” and love the giver. Our gift back to God this Father’s Day is to say, “Thank you,” acknowledging Him, the giver, and not to worry about our food and clothing.
Another passage that talks about God’s good pleasure is in Philippians 2 where Paul is instructing the church and he writes, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” God’s good pleasure, again. What makes Him happy? To work in His children, to mold them and shape them, to invest in them, to see them grow and obey and exercise faith and trust in Him as any good dad would want for his kids. He is working His plans and purposes out in and through His people. He is preparing them for His return and bringing them to maturity and perfection. How can we respond? Obey. Do what He says. Say, “Thank you, Lord, for your good work in me.”
The greatest insight into, “What pleases God?” comes from Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it was the will of the Lord (the Lord was pleased) to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about the coming Messiah, written about 700 years before Jesus, but it points to Him and His ministry. God sent Jesus, the Messiah, to crush Him and put Him to grief, to make an offering for guilt (not His own, but yours.) It pleased God to send Christ to the cross for man’s sin, my sin, your sin. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” God did this out of His great love for the world, including me and you, to give His one and only Son, so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. Maybe the greatest Father’s Day gift you could give to God would be yourself. Be born again, repent of your sin, and enter His kingdom, obeying Him in all you do.
Many other verses of the Bible speak about the pleasures of God and what pleases God. God is living and feeling, sometimes grief, wrath, or joy. God is excellent and deep in joy and pleasure. God shares His joy with His children, so it’s good for us if He’s extremely happy! Give glory to God this Father’s Day and every day and consider His good pleasure.