“Make My Heart Rejoice”

Have you ever purchased a gift for a close friend and then watched your friend’s face beam with surprise and appreciation upon receiving it? You probably thought long and hard about what type of gift would be appropriate for that person. Now consider this question: What kind of gift can you offer your Creator, Jehovah God? At first, the very idea might sound absurd. What does the Almighty need from a mere human? What could you possibly give him that he does not already possess? The Bible answers at Proverbs 27:11: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.”

Does it really matter to Jehovah which choice you make? Have not enough people already remained faithful for him to give an adequate reply to Satan? True, the Devil asserted that no one serves Jehovah out of love, a charge that has already been proved false. Still, Jehovah wants you to take his side on the issue of sovereignty because he cares about you as an individual. Jesus said: “It is not a desirable thing with my Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.”—Matthew 18:14.

Clearly, Jehovah is interested in the course you choose. More than that, he is affected by it. The Bible makes clear that Jehovah has deep feelings that are stirred by the good or the bad actions of humans. For example, when the Israelites repeatedly rebelled, Jehovah was “pained.” (Psalm 78:40, 41) Before the Deluge of Noah’s day, when “the badness of man was abundant,” Jehovah “felt hurt at his heart.” (Genesis 6:5, 6) Think about what this means. If you adopted a wrong course, you could cause your Creator to feel pain. This does not mean that God is weak or is ruled by emotion. Rather, he loves you and cares about your welfare. On the other hand, when you do what is right, Jehovah’s heart rejoices. He is happy not only because he has a further reply to give to Satan but also because he can now become your Rewarder. And that is something he wants to become. (Hebrews 11:6) What a loving Father you have in Jehovah God!

*** w03 4/15 p. 14 par. 8 , 11-12 Youths Who Make Jehovah’s Heart Rejoice ***