a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
He sings! Can you even imagine it? It is enough to make this battered soul weep with joy and relief.
There are days when I wonder if I'll ever fully let go of the angry God that has been so deeply written into the pages of my life. God as stern judge and punisher. Santa-Claus-in-the-sky, with his nice list and naughty list, pen poised over the latter just waiting for me to slip up.
And I do (oh, how I do). I slip up. I do that which I do not want to do...and then I do it again.
I hear those echoes from the past every time. "You better pray - and pray hard - for God to forgive you." A reluctant absolver, letting go of my sins grudgingly.
Mockingly, bitingly, "Is that what the God you claim you love would want you to do?" A God whose list of rules has been drawn up by man, who demands perfection even here on earth, who scoffs at my attempts to live a life that pleases Him.
But now - praise the Lord - come ever more frequently these moments when I discover something new about this angry God. There is such peace in finally coming to know Him as He truly is, a God Who rejoices over His children with singing. He enjoys His children, delights in them, rejoices over them, and sings over them! He loves them with an everlasting love and draws them with unfailing kindness (Jeremiah 31:3).
Joy. Love. Peace. Grace.
God is good.
that we should be called children of God!
For that is what we are!
1 John 3:1
Amen! God is so good and He just loves us all so much! I never thought of Him singing before. That puts a huge smile on my face this morning!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful image..God the Father singing. It's so easy to feel like a failure for not 'living up' to what God desires for us, instead of remembering that He loves us!
ReplyDeleteIronically I just blogged about the same verse. here is my link in case you want to read how God has inspired me with that verse. Also, I really enjoy reading your posts. You are a really good writer who can really get to the heart of the matter. May peace be with you.
ReplyDeleteone of my favorite passages in the bible! i love picturing God singing over me and delighting in me! thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteBarefoot Buttercup, I'm so glad to hear that! :)
ReplyDeleteKorey, how true. I love images like this one that put things back into perspective.
Sunrise, thanks so much! I enjoyed your post as well.
Chalise, it's neat to hear this is one of your favourite passages. I'm glad to have discovered it!
Far out! I so needed that reminder tonight. It's late, and I can't sleep. I've been so critical of myself and even more critical of God and how harsh I sometimes believe that He is. What an awesome reminder that I am his child and that I am loved. That verse just struck me in the chest.
ReplyDeleteKeep blogging please. God is using it to bless people. He certainly used it to bless me.
Amen! :D The God I know is not the harsh, vengeful God that they'd have me believe at church - which is why I don't go anymore.
ReplyDeletepraise Him!! :D
God is good, and His mercy endures forever. I also grew up with a similar view of God...ruler in the sky just waiting to pounce on me. An image of God singing over me would have been considered blasphemous. I'm so thankful for the way God led me out of that prison. Your post is beautiful, and shows that you have also been set free. It is just simply beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteI love to think of God rejoicing over me with singing and 'finding delight in me'. Just like I do with my children, even though they are far from perfect!
ReplyDelete