Why I didn’t start my new memorizing kick with my favorite passage is beyond me, because I LOVE these words.
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
I’m sorry, but seriously?
What would my life look like if I really believed each of these five amazing promises?I bet a good 95% of my problems would just disappear.
If I connected these statements to my life…if you connected these words to your life…just think about it…
If I really believed that the Lord my God is with me, right now, this moment, in every single circumstance?I’d be lighter.I’d be without worry, without stress, without anxious thoughts.If I really believed it.
If I really believed that my God is mighty to save? Not just in terms of my actual salvation, but to save me from myself…to save me from the situation that feels like it’s just about to swallow me alive, to save me from the relationship issues that haunt me? I’d hand over every single burden and care the moment it came to mind, and then I’d be free to keep walking. If I really believed it.
If I really believed that my God takes delight in me?And not just delight…He’s not just, you know, mildly amused by me…the God of the universe takes great delight in who I am as his beloved, as his creation.Get out of town.Talk about being so filled up that I can love others with abandon.If I really believed it.
If I really believed that my God could quiet me with his love?Could shut out the racing thoughts and the overwhelming worries and the horribly insecure thoughts about my lack of worth simply with his deep, abiding, loyal, cuts-through-everything Love.Oh, my soul melts at this one…Think of how peaceful I’d be.Think of how quietly, humbly confident I’d be.Think about how I’d never have to judge or criticize another human being because I would be quieted deep down by Love.If I really believed it.
And what if I really believed that my God is rejoicing over me with a song?That He is looking at me right now, thinking about me with a smile on his holy face, remembering the joy He took in creating me just so, and He’s so moved, that He starts humming, maybe whistling a little bit, only to break out in a song of rejoicing…over me.Over you.I can barely take it in.I know I’m supposed to praise and worship my God and my King, but really…He adores me enough to sing a song over me?How I would rest…how I could stop all the running and trying so hard.If I really believed.
What joy…I am starting to believe. Finally, this late in the game…this far along in my walk with Him…I’m starting to let these Truths with a capital T sink in to my heart and soul.
What would your life look like if you really believed all of this about yourself?Just try it…and then watch, even if just for today, about 95% of your problems wash away.
