The Joy of God

By Matt

I think this is oddly connected to my last post in a few ways. In today's reading Nouwen talks about the fact that God is love and so very much wants to receive our love and wants us to receive his love. Because we have a choice of whether or not we love God, our choices either sadden or make God happy. But here's the disconnect for me, not only that we can make God happy, but that I can make God happy. It's God we're talking about here, you kind of get this image of him as a rock, not being necessarily very emotional. However, he is a God of anger and jealousy and love, we know that, so shouldn't it be obvious that he can be a happy God as well? But then I consider the fact that I can make him happy. Something I can do can sway the God who created all and knows all and sees all to joy. That's kind of a big, scary thought to me. But I am known, very well known, so it stands to reason whether or not I think about that at all.