Thanks for stopping by! This is Day 10 of my 2015 “31 Days Reflecting on God” series. Find the rest over here.
The Lord your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you.” Zephaniah 3:17I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent. Luke 15:7
Okay. Okay. Do yourself a big favor and just read those verses about 10 times in a row and let them wash over you. That’s about all I can say today.
“Yahweh [the I AM, present, living God] YOUR GOD, is in your midst”
He is with us. Surrounding us, moving us, filling us. He is our God.
“He is a warrior who can deliver.”
No way we ever have to be defeated with such a great warrior leading us in battle.
“He takes great delight in you.”
Yes, this God who is so big. So everlasting. So faithful. He enjoys us. So much. Yes, you. Yes, me.
“He renews you by his love.”
Every day we need renewing, and not just the kind that comes from 8 hours of sleep. He promises his own renewing of our souls…by his love. His giant love that covers all our sin and all our weakness.
“He shouts for joy over you.”
What does this even mean? I don’t know if I’ve ever had anyone shout for joy over me. To be so undignified that they cheer just because they love me. To delight so much in me that they yell out so everyone can hear.
This is what God does.
Jesus confirmed this picture in Luke. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. Have you repented? Heaven sings because you’ve come to God.
He rejoices because you are his, and he sets such an amazing example that all of heaven rejoices with him.
Savor it – his joy. Bask in the knowledge that the everlasting God takes delight in you and renews you in his love.