Day 9 of 40 Days of Purpose

“What Makes God Smile?”

In this chapter Warren uses Noah as an example and lists 5 acts of worship from Noah’s life that makes God smile. Many from our heritage, if asked to list 5 acts of worship, would list singing, praying, giving, communion (Lord’s Supper), and preaching. Comparing Warren’s list to ours points to the difference in the meaning of “worship” as a life style rather than something performed in a Sunday morning “worship service.”

God smiles when we love him supremely.
God smiles when we trust him completely.
God smiles when we obey him wholeheartedly.
God smiles when we praise and thank him.
God smiles when we fulfill his purposes.

When I was growing up as a young boy the greatest joy of my life was to see my dad smile. He worked nights as a diesel mechanic and we didn’t get to spend a lot of fun time together for his hours were so different from mine. He had a very difficult time trying to sleep during the day. And my brother and I did not make it easy for him with the constant noise we seemed to generate around the house. I remember a few times he growled out of bed and yelled at us to “shut up.” The look on his face was far from being a smile. But there were those times, those glorious times, when I would look up in the stands from the on-deck circle and see him smile, or smile down into the little pail I held with the green beans I had just picked, or when his smiled radiated out in the pews as he listened to me stammer through a Wednesday night devotional. I knew he was proud of me and that he loved me. He smiled when I obeyed him, and smiled after I disobeyed and came back to say I was sorry. He smiled when I helped someone in need, or acted in kindness. He smiled when I forgave and would share. I loved to see my father smile.

And some day I will see my Heavenly Father face to face and He will be smiling!

David