He Sings Over You

"The Lord your God is in your midst, 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

     I heard a Matt Maher song on my way to work the other morning and he repeats the following words:  "Father, you sing over Your children."  Seems like a simple statement, but it hit me in a new way.  On the spectrum of living to appease God and living to enjoy God, I often find myself trying to appease God.  No matter what my Bible says (i.e., God loves me unconditionally, he sees me as perfect in Christ), I live like God's love for me depends on my performance as his child.  I'm finding that the best way to combat this spurious mindset is with truth.  "The Lord your God is in your midst, 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."

     As a young boy, I looked up to my dad, mimicked his every move, bragged to my friends about him.  I watched closely as he built fires in the stove. I marveled at his strength. I wondered why he got up early every day to read the same book.  My most vivid memories of him were from hunting trips.  It wasn't because I was hunting that I remember but because I was with my dad.  He had a lot to do, but he took the time to give me his attention.  It's a great tragedy when people have terrible experiences with their father because it inevitably tarnishes their view of the Perfect Father.  Even just the fact that people are deeply wounded by bad fathers proves that we were meant to be cherished, nurtured and loved by a good father. The only way we recognize counterfeit money is because of the existence of real money.

     I want you to stop and think about the fact that God rejoices over his children. This isn't some truth to be acknowledged but a reality to be celebrated!  Go ahead. Smile. God's not mad at you!  He doesn't hold your sin over you. In fact, the Bible teaches that he "remembers your sin no more."  All his records have been destroyed!  The only thing left for him is rejoicing, gladness and singing.  Picture your glorious, perfect Father, so filled with joy and gladness at the thought of you that he bursts forth into loud singing.

     Oh, dearly loved child of God, realize this truth today!  Snap out of your performance trap where God takes notes and scolds you at every misstep.  He delights in you!  So look to the Father.  Enjoy him, even as he enjoys you.  And if you haven't been reconciled to God through his Son, Jesus (see John 14:6), why not?  Our God is perfect, and you'll never find another like him.  Search the whole world over for the rest of your life and you'll never find such a one who will love you, accept you, delight in you.  The greatest sentiment in hell will not be pain or anger or frustration, but regret.  Lost men will meet a glorious, loving Father, and then be separated from him forever!  Oh, what weeping there will be!!  Plead now to be reconciled to God.  Plead now for a new heart. Plead now to know the Father and love him. If you plead now, you will have no regrets on that final day.  But if you wait until eternity to plead, you may be pleading for eternity.