Pleasing God: As Jesus Did

We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: 

Colossians 1:9-10

 

Do I bring pleasure to God? I certainly wish to; but do I, especially in every way? Do I live a life worthy of the Lord every minute of every day, or is it a hit and miss affair? After all, you and I were created by and for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11, KJV).  I am eager to pursue pleasing God this week. Glad to have you along.

Let’s begin with Jesus. After all, God the Father was enormously pleased with the Son. Peter was there on the sacred mountain to hear His commendation: For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17).

But then, God planned it that way. Not only was Jesus fully human; He also was the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15): For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Colossians 1:19).

I have a few questions. First, in His humanness did Jesus ever struggle with doing what pleased the Father? In my mind the answer is yes. Remember His profound agony in Gethsemane as His will and God’s clashed head on. But in the end, He did what pleased God.

So, what was Jesus’ secret? He did nothing without consulting God: “I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:28-29). And God was always with Him; except once, on the Cross. The weight of that much sin did not please the Father.

But I am only human—how can I always do what pleases God? Listen to the Spirit in you. Jesus said: “He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears—He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (John 16:13-14). Surely always bringing glory to Jesus will please the Father.

One more thing, being filled with the knowledge of (God’s) will seems integral to pleasing Him. Lord, for that I pray. May the Spirit make Your will evident that I may bring glory to Jesus.

Nancy P