I was writing a prayer to the Father as I sometimes do when I need to go deep in communication and understand my own thoughts which swirl so fast.
One of the lines that I wrote hit me so hard that I started to cry... right there on the airplane in plain sight of my Japanese co-passenger...
I said, “Father, I want you to be proud of me!”
As I composed myself, my thoughts went to Job.
Job 1:8 ESV
[8] And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"
God was proud of Job!
Job 2:3 ESV
[3] And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason."
A second time, God revealed how proud of Job He was! Particularly after Job had survived severe loss which God had allowed and Job still trusted in Him!
Job’s response to loss was this:
Job 1:21 ESV
[21] And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
God was touched, moved, proud!
I want my God to be proud of me much in the same way I want my earthly Dad to be proud of me and as much as my three sons want me to be proud of them. It is a deep desire.. an innate need! I have often been surprised at how much my sons long for this. It is hard wired into who they are..
We usually try to gain the respect & admiration of our Father through achievement. Accomplishment. And I do believe that when we achieve much for God, according to His will, He is proud.
But from what I read in Job and in many other scriptures, I have come to believe that what makes God the most proud is how we live righteously and how we respond to trials and tragedy.
If I want to make my Father proud, I will trust Him, serve Him, love Him and praise Him no matter what happens to me!
