Do you write notes to help you remember? I like to have reminders on little yellow sticky notes all over my house because I forget important things. If yellow sticky notes are not available, I find a scrap of paper write on. Believe it or not, writing down a note helps me feel secure. I don’t have to hold the thought in my mind because it is on paper. Those reminders are my “to dos.”
Another reminder
But I have another reminder, this one is of God’s love for me. I have Zephaniah 3:17 in large letters taped to my bathroom mirror to assure me of God’s delight in me. I see the verse daily. Here is the verse.
For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
This rich verse is tucked away in the little known book of Zephaniah in the Old Testament. We can apply this verse to us. Let’s unpack it.
The same God who created the universe is living with us; the mighty God is near. “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior.” God is Almighty yet personal, all knowing and also is intimately acquainted with each of us. God is ever present yet never leaves us alone, all powerful yet is close and personal to us. We have a mighty God who hears our prayers and responds to our cries.
The Lord is living among us
Not only is God close but he delights in us. “He will take delight in you with gladness.”
Delight is to take pleasure in or find joy in. Wow, God takes pleasure in us. This truth is hard to comprehend in our human minds especially because of negative self-talk that can enter our head. However, no matter how unworthy we feel, God wants a relationship with us, enjoying us like we enjoy those we love. Parents delight in their new baby, grandparents delight in their grandchildren and the Lord delights in us. What a concept to think that God relishes hearing about our day and about our concerns.
God enjoys us and delights in us
The next part of the verse, is comforting. “With his love, he will calm all your fears.” Because God is near, he can quiet our fears. Another verse in the Bible, 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…” God is perfect love and the love of God takes away fear. Reassurance of God’s love quells our fears.
Perfect love quells our fears
The image of God calming our fears is much like how Jesus calmed the storm in the Sea of Galilee. Peace and rest come from God’s love.
The last phrase of the verse, “He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Do you ever sing when you feel joy? I have been known to fill the house with melody when I am happy. Have you? Have you hummed a tune while you worked? Singing doesn’t have to be perfect, mine sure is not. What makes you sing? Singing is a way to express joy and God in unconditional, grace-filled love rejoices over us with songs.
The Lord sings over us with gladness
Take the truth of God’s delight in you into your arms. Hold it close, let it seep into our pores. We can live each day with confidence we are loved and the object of God’s delight, knowing God is singing over us.
Hold it close
Let this seep into your pores
On a side note about joy, it is okay to have joy. For those who grieve, we cannot grieve 24/7. Grief is a journey. We need to take breaks from grieving to do things that bring joy. Take time to watch a funny movie or YouTube video, laugh with friends, do something silly like blowing bubbles. I like the quote from Sarah Philpott from her book Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss , “Just like you have to give yourself permission to grieve, you need to give yourself permission to feel the emotion of happiness.”
Enjoy that God delights in you.
Take time to experience happiness and do things that make you happy.
Prayer:
Dear Loving and Mighty God,
You love us more than we can understand in our limited mind. You find pleasure in us and want to be with us, wanting an ongoing relationship with us. Let your love penetrate into the inner recesses of our hearts so that we can start each day in confidence, knowing we are the object of your joy and delight. Give us joy like you have joy over us.
Amen
