What Makes God Smile?
Purpose Driven #9
Cornwall
October 11, 2003
As a parent, I’ve smiled many times as I’ve watched my children. Sometimes, I’ve smiled as they’ve done something very pleasing to me, or have given me a gift that they have either picked out or created. I’ve smiled when I’ve watched them accomplish something in their skating, school, choir, church, job, or other areas of life. I’ve smiled, sometimes, just watching them sleep when all the activity of a day is behind us and the calm of the night has arrived. Some of these smiles came not because they sought them, but because of my reaction to something they did or were at a particular moment-in-time. But some came because of what they did.
God is a parent, and is the one after whose parent model we are to fashion ourselves. As we smile about our children, for various reasons, so God smiles over us and we can learn what can bring more smiles to God’s face.
There’s an ancient example that helps us in this and points us toward five activities that will cause God’s pleasure to beam forth toward us. This is not in order for us to get something more from God than what he is already giving, but is simply for us to be doing, in response to God’s grace, so that know we’re doing more that pleases him.
There was a time when only one man, of all that lived on earth, pleased God. That man was Noah. We find the beginning of the story of Noah in Genesis 6, and the background to his story.
Gen. 6.3, 8- see the difference. One group- most- gave God upset and sadness. However, Noah brought pleasure to God. This is where we want to be, as individuals who bring pleasure to God. As we do this, do you know what will be happening? We’ll be living more in line with God’s desires and, through that living, as I’ve been emphasizing, we will be living in worship toward God. Remember that key in Romans 12.1 that tells us to present our lives to God as sacrifices he can accept; in this sacrificial living, we worship God.
Back to Noah, then. God received pleasure from him and decided that he would start over with only his family. I’m glad he did- otherwise, we wouldn’t be here today. I enjoy living and, I believe, you do, too. We’re alive because Noah pleased God. (This is important for each of us to understand. Our life can make a great difference to others. Because you live and please God, there WILL be others who live- in your family or outside your family. There will be others who, in our case, enter life through Jesus who will thank you for your pleasing God.)
Noah pursued five actions that caused God to find pleasure in him, and which give an example to us.
1. Noah loved God above all else. Gen.6.9 tells us that he attempted to follow God’s will. This is what God wants most from us. As we do this, we have a closer and closer relationship with God and God wants a relationship with you. God created you so he could love you and he wants you to love him back. See what’s important to God-
Hos.6.6- he doesn’t want sacrifices as much as love and relationship. God loves you and wants your love in return. He wants you to know him and to spend time with him. The greatest objective of your life needs to be to love God and to be loved by him. Nothing else comes close in importance. Doing this is what Jesus’ greatest commandment is all about- loving God with all that we are.
2. Noah trusted God above all else. Heb.11.7 tells us about this trust. What must that have been like for Noah? I grew up on the prairies. At least, here in Ontario, you can envision big ships because you see them, sometimes, on the St. Lawrence River. But I didn’t see them on the prairies. There were little lakes, but nothing big enough for the size of vessel God instructed Noah to build. God told him that he was going to flood the world and start all over with Noah’s family. This could cause some wonder and doubt in Noah, but it did not, apparently. But think about the obstacles:
- Noah had never seen rain because God irrigated the earth from the ground up, to this point.
- Noah lived hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean.
- Noah was to care for all the animals, but how was he going to round them all up.
He trusted God completely and all these problems or potential doubts melted away. Trusting God completely means having faith that he knows what is best for your life. Sometimes, you might wonder. You might want a particular job, but God is pushing you in a different direction. You might think you want to marry a particular person, but God has someone else in mind. Trusting God is no small matter. But trusting God completely means expecting him to keep his promises, expecting him to help with your problems, and expecting him to do the impossible, when it is necessary.
Psa. 147.11- It took Noah 120 years to build the ark and, I imagine, there were some dark days. Imagine what his children went through ‘in school’ or with the neighborhood kids. Imagine the accusations of Noah’s craziness that must have happened. Yet, he kept on trusting God.
In what areas of your life do you need to trust God completely? Trusting is an act of worship. As we, parents, are pleased when children trust our love and wisdom, so God is pleased when we trust his.
3. Noah obeyed God above all else -wholeheartedly- not part-heartedly! Noah had to be attentive to details so the boat would be right and so all details necessary to care for the hundreds of animals would be right. God gave him detail upon detail and Noah was attentive to these.
Gen.6.22- everything as instructed. Wholeheartedness involves doing everything completely. I can understand why God would be pleased. This means that Noah did whatever God asked without reservation or hesitation. When God asks something, you don’t need to pray about it, but you need to do it without delay because, as we know, delayed obedience is really disobedience, because it means we’re doing what we want when we want rather than according to someone else’s instruction. God doesn’t owe you an explanation or reason for what he instructs. Understanding can wait- in fact, obedience, often, unlocks understanding. These days, people say they want to understand ‘why’ before doing; a teacher doesn’t owe a student an explanation and a parent doesn’t owe a child an explanation before they should obey. God doesn’t owe you and me an explanation before we’ll do what he shows us he wants done.
Often, we want to offer God partial obedience and to pick and choose commands we’ll obey. We want to obey the ones that we don’t think are unreasonable, difficult, expensive, or unpopular. Maybe we’ll decide to attend church, but we won’t contribute to the church. Maybe we’ll read the Bible, but we won’t forgive the person who offended you at church. This is not like Noah! This is not wholehearted obedience.
Psa.100.2- obey God gladly. Psa.119.33- shows David’s approach toward serving God; make that your approach, too!
James 2.24 tells us that we please God not only by what we believe but also by what we do. This is not earning salvation- we cannot earn salvation- but this is response to what God has done. All acts of obedience are, also, acts of worship.
4. Noah praised and thanked God above all else. We enjoy being thanked and praised. God loves that. Notice what Noah did when the flood was over, which shows us the pattern of his life.
Gen.8.20- his first act was to express his thanks to God.
Jesus has come and we don’t have to offer animal sacrifices, but we are told to offer God other sacrifices- ‘sacrifice of praise’ and ‘sacrifice of thanksgiving’. We praise God for who he is and thank God for what he has done.
Psa.69.30-31- praising will please God.
What happens when you thank someone or praise someone? It sets up your heart with joy- you feel good. Praise works in two ways. We enjoy what we’re praising (like a Thanksgiving dinner) and, when we express the praise, the other person is given pleasure, too. Seeing that increases our joy even more. This is what we do with God. May our praise and thanks be voluminous toward God!
5. Noah used his abilities as he lived his life, and this brought pleasure to God. After the flood, God gave Noah simple, but clear instructions- Gen. 9.1. God told him to get on with his life. God told him to live.
Don’t ever think that the only time God is pleased with you is when you’re doing ‘spiritual’ activities. God enjoys watching every detail of your life, whether you are working, playing, resting, or eating. God delights in every detail.
Psa.37.23
Every human activity can be done for God’s glory and pleasure if we do it with an attitude of praise. Washing dishes, repairing something, selling a product, writing a computer program, growing a garden or crop, and raising a family are all meant to be to God’s glory.
Psa.33.15- God has made you with various abilities and he wants you to use those abilities. As you do, you please God. Each of us has different gifts and talents and each of us is to use whatever God has given us, for His glory and praise. This delights him and has us worshipping him. There are no unspiritual activities, for the Christian. All we do is done on the stage of God’s view and of eternity. He wants you and me to get out there and to do the best we can do with all he has given us. He has given you creation to enjoy- so enjoy it; take some time to enjoy the changing seasons we have here and to please God by enjoying what he has given you to enjoy.
Conclusion
When God looks at your heart, does he see that your greatest desire is to please him? God is looking for people like that in this 21st century. He has always looked for such people. Will you become consumed with the idea of pleasing God? Will you ask, ‘How much pleasure am I giving God?’ Don’t be concerned with how much pleasure you are getting out of life but, rather, with how much pleasure your life is giving God.
God is looking for people like Noah who will be living for His pleasure rather than their own.
Psa.14.2- Will you make pleasing God the goal of your life? There is nothing God won’t do for the person who is totally absorbed with this goal.
