Read: Zephaniah 3:9-20
The LORD your God . . . will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (v. 17)
Our earliest experiences have a profound effect on how we view ourselves and on how we think God and others see us. We may grow up with confidence, or we may have a quiet, persistent voice in our minds that asks, “Am I really worthy of being loved?” Henri Nouwen speaks to this struggle when he writes, “Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that declares we are loved.” Yet, for many of us, receiving this assurance may be a challenge.
Zephaniah, like many biblical prophets, warns the people about the dangers of idolatry. He begins with dire words about the day of the Lord—first to befall other nations and then the people of Israel. In a surprise twist, God offers the people grace and the promise of a remnant that will remain faithful to the LORD. At the end of a chapter about judgment, God makes something clear to the people—“I delight in you.”
Even though Israel turned from God, God still delighted in them. God saw them as his beloved children. God delights in us too. God rejoices over us with gladness, refreshes and restores us by his love, and sings a song of delight over us. Whether our lives are going according to plan or seem to be falling apart, nothing can change the love of God freely given to us. —April Fiet
As you pray, allow yourself to be wrapped up in God’s delight in you.
About the Author
April Fiet co-pastors First Presbyterian Church in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and is a published author. She enjoys gardening, feeding her backyard chickens, and learning about new things.
