SCRIPTURE: Zephaniah 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. [Zephaniah 3:17]
God expresses His frustration with His people.
He is constantly working for justice and mercy, while they unceasingly pervert it.
He warns them that He will step in one day, with both justice and mercy.
He will punish the unrepentant, but those who repent will be restored.
Zephaniah finishes with this great picture of God rejoicing with singing!
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. [Luke 15:7]
Jesus tells stories about the lost and found, and the heavenly joy for those who repent.
Can you picture what this joy looks like?
Think of someone who has just found out they won the lottery – singing and dancing!
Or someone who has just heard the news, they’re cancer free – singing and dancing!
Or a crippled man who is healed to walk again – singing and dancing.
Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [Acts 3:7-8]
Now think of God “rejoicing over you with singing!”
How we view God shapes how we relate to Him.
Is this your view of God, a God that loves you so much, He sings and dances with joy.
God hates to see people suffer; He created us for joy and happiness.
The only reason the bible reveals God’s anger and justice so much is because humanity has fallen so far, and been so bad.
God hates what we’ve become, and longs to bring us back to what we were made to be.
We are the lost sheep, He is the eager, desperate shepherd, working to bring us back.
Yes, God loves you that much, and me too.
Will we go to Him, allow Him to find and rescue us?
Do we want to experience God singing and dancing because of us?
He is willing, are we?
PRAYER:
Lord, remind me o the rejoicing in heaven, if I am willing to accept it. Impress a picture in my mind of a God that loves me this much!