No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalms‬ ‭147‬:‭11‬

God loves when we can’t.

A young man came home from school one day full of anger, defeat and rejection. When his dad asked him what was wrong he shared, in tears, that he was about to be cut from his high school basketball team. He would be evaluated the next day and the coaches would decide.

His dad, a former coach himself, took him outside and played basketball with him for a couple hours. They talked. They laughed and in between times the father shared pointers on basketball…and life.

Later, as the son headed off to bed, the father put his arm around him and told him, “Son, tomorrow is a big day for you, but not the biggest challenge you’ll face in life. Know this, I don’t love you because of your basketball skills. I don’t love you because of your grades. I don’t love you because of your popularity. I love you because you are my child and nothing will ever change that.”

The next day, the son returned home in a good mood.

The father looked at him and said, “You must have made the team?”

“No,” the son replied, “But I know now that my value isn’t caught up in who I am, but in whose I am.”

And so it is in life. Don’t allow the expectations and circumstances that surround you to define you. Your worth isn’t in what you do, or your accomplishments or your status. God takes value in you because you are first and foremost of all made in his image. His love never fails.

Fearing the Lord isn’t being afraid of his judgment, fearing the Lord is being in awe of his love and grace.