To Gladden the Father’s Heart

God lives and works today. He is the loving Father with a heart that longs for the love of His children. And because we are His children, it lies within our possibilities to bring Him joy or to grieve Him.

But perhaps you're thinking, I fall down so often. With all my sins, I just make work and trouble for God. How can I ever bring Him joy? Today's meditation by Basilea Schlink shares how a student nurse learned to do this.

One of our guests, a young student nurse, suffered greatly from pride and ambition. Whenever her honor was slighted, she would turn quite nasty. And then she was too proud and haughty to go to the other person and apologize.

It was a vicious circle. But now she stood before a nursing examination. She had studied much for it.

She cried to the Lord for His help so that she would get a good mark. But then the thought flashed across her mind, I only want a good mark so that I will be glorified. Perhaps God would be more pleased if I didn't come out at the top of the class.

For that would only feed my pride, haughtiness, and wanting honor. So in prayer, she struggled to commit herself to a poor examination. She realized only one can receive the glory, either Jesus or me.

And Jesus ought to have the glory. And so it happened. The young student nurse passed her examination, but as one of the lowest in her class.

Then she was filled with such great joy that the ward sister asked her, What have you got that's making you so happy? And she replied, I've received a low mark. At which the other nurse shook her head. It was beyond her.

We read in Luke chapter 15 that the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents. How much more God the Father will rejoice. Here he saw one of his children who wanted to turn about with all her heart from her ambitious, proud, haughty ways.

For every person, even the worst sinner, there is a way to bring joy to the heart of the heavenly Father. The way of repentance. For all those who want to go this way, we have a verse in our treasure chest of Cainan songs, which we would like to recite very slowly in case you would like to write it down to use as a prayer.

Bind me to you, my dear Jesus. I then will give you all. Gladly my treasures surrender.

Even those I love most of all. Such a commitment causes the heart of the heavenly Father to overflow with goodness. He can't do enough for us, and he does everything to make us happy.

Oh, make me thine. My Savior, Lord most holy. That I may only live to give thee glory.

Oh, make me thine. Oh, make me thine. Take all I love and treasure.

My life, my honor. Is that brings thee pleasure and shows my love. Yes, make me thine.

You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet.

If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address. God bless you.