Zephaniah 3:17

Tonight at phcf girl's group we did a little study/reflection on Zeph 3:17 -- one of my favorite verses.

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.

Song to verse here: very twangy, catchy =) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-dniFr5HWo Keke one of the girls sends this song as a baptismal gift! Cute.

Some thoughts:
God is love. And he demonstrates his love (for a people who turns away from, who rejects him again and again) in many ways.
- He is our God. possessive. continual relationship.
- He is WITH us, present in our midst. What a gift, that he never leaves us or forsakes us.
- He is continually working protection over us, promising salvation, no doubt/uncertainty about it.
- He rejoices over us, an abundance of joy, and not out of duty but out of gladness!
- He quiets us by his love, giving peace and rest and security and identity. We don't have to scurry and work and worry. He is worthy of trust.
- He exults over us with singing. Reminds me of the troubadours of yore, writing sonnets to their lady-loves, expounding on beauty of face or form or character. But this is even better because it is God, who knows us inside and out, even better than we know ourselves -- all the good and all the bad -- and yet still exults!! over us! Utter bewilderment at this love that pursues the least worthy, that instills worthiness by function of being chosen, not by internal merit.

Praise be to Him who loves and thus teaches us to love -- to love him back, and to love others as well. Such joy to be reminded of solid truth in his Word, especially on a cold night that feels a tad lonely at the apt with a boatload of work to do before the morrow.