Dear friend, one morning Holy Spirit woke me up, with clear ideas for this piece of writing. I knew it was for a dear, dear friend, a precious saint at the Joshua 14:12-15 stage of life. A few days later, I felt it was also for another friend. That is when I saw that it was also for you, and for me, for all of us who whole-heartedly love God and are pressing close to Him with all our heart, and soul and mind and strength. We do not have to be perfect for God to feel this way about us. We just have to love Him with all our heart and do the very best we can to obey Him and stay by His side, hour by hour. We have no way to understand how much He loves us!

I wrote this a month ago but find myself needing this comfort today. I pray these words comfort you. Here is what I wrote for my friend.  .  .

I believe the Lord is deeply touched by your love for, your dependence upon, and your trust in Him. I believe He sees you as a sweet little girl, walking along a beautiful garden path with Him, holding on to His hand and looking up at Him with adoring eyes.

It pleases Him greatly that you choose to just be with Him, to stay in His company and to walk close by Him, each day, all day long and through the night.

On your way along the garden path, when you grow tired—or sometimes just because He loves you so very much—He picks you up into His strong arms, gives you a sweet kiss on your cheek and holds you in a warm, tender embrace. You tell Him, “Thank You, my Father!” He looks into your eyes and says “I love you, my precious, my beautiful daughter. You are my delight.”

Then, He carries you a while, close to His heart, and He sings a sweet and tender melody over you, softly and slowly. As He walks with you in His arms, He points out a busy little gray squirrel here, a yellow butterfly there, a resplendent gathering of flowers over there, and a tiny, perky sparrow chirping on the swaying branch of a little sapling.  He holds out His hand and the sparrow flits to Him, perching on His finger as He lets you stroke the velvety feathers.

He says to you, “My beautiful child, I watch each moment of the life of every creature I have made, and I care for each of them. And, my beautiful daughter, far more—so very much more than you can imagine—I watch each moment of your life and I care for you. I delight in your devotion to Me, your faithfulness in little and big things, My love that you give to others, and the way you walk with Me, in integrity, in your home. It is My delight that you simply want to be with Me.”

As He continues walking, still with you in His arms, He explains how each flower and each tree grows and just where each little creature finds its food and makes its bed at night. He delights at the delight in your eyes and in your shared pleasure. He enjoys the pleasure of your company as you enjoy His.

“I love those who love Me,
and those who seek Me early and diligently
will find me.”
Proverbs 8:17, AMPC