Does God Delight in me? His Pleasure in (imperfect) Holiness
If we could distill God’s will for his people into a simple prayer, we may do no better than an often-repeated plea from Robert Murray M’Cheyne: “Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made” (Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne, 159).
How often does such a prayer find its place upon your lips? How deeply does such a desire shape your hopes and plans? If the longings of your heart could speak, would any of them cry out, “Make me as holy as I can be”?
God’s desire for our holiness burns through the Scriptures like a purifying fire. Paul emphasizes this: “This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Peter reiterates: “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15–16). Hebrews echoes: “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
And in a hundred other ways, God would have us think so. Our holiness delights him (Psalm 40:6–8), pleases him (1 Thessalonians 4:1), rises before him like a fragrant offering (Philippians 4:18), and elicits his approval and praise (Romans 2:29; 12:1). If you want to please a holy God, be as holy as you can be.