Lavish Love
“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zeph. 3:17
Recently I was slopping about the house in my everyday clothes. My son asked me, “Mama, how old is that shirt?” I stopped to consider when I got it. Then I remembered. Ah, yes. I bought it when he was an infant. He is now 20. (So, yeah. I got my money’s worth out of that shirt.) Then everyone wanted to know why I still wear it when my closet is full of nicer and newer things- things from this millennium even.
As I pondered the question, I realized that I wear it because it is soft and so comfortable. It’s a soothing color of blue. It’s kind of like a hug in the form of a shirt.
This verse in Zephaniah, to me, is a lot like that comfy shirt. It gives me feelings of being wrapped in His warm embrace. I feel soothed and comforted when I read it. I feel comforted. Nestled. It always, always, ministers to my heart.
This God that we serve is indeed mighty. He is a conquering King who one day will require every knee to bow. But He is also a loving Father. Who takes delight in me with gladness. Delight and gladness, both? What an extravagant love! With His love He calms ALL my fears. You see, His love is not some wimpy, pink, fluffy bunny. His love is fierce. His loved endured a beating. His love endured humiliation. His love defeated death, hell and the grave. That kind of love is more than mushy. It is mighty. With that love, He calms all my fears.
But even then, He is not through lavishing love upon us. No! He begins to rejoice over us with joyful songs. I mess up daily. My faith fails. My thoughts often depart from righteousness. But in His love, He looks at my heart, His constant abode, and chooses to see the things in me that bring Him delight.
Someone is facing fear and rejection today. Know that His love is poured over you in abundance. His perfect love will drive out fear. His love will calm all your fears. Because of His love, we cry, Abba, Father!
Let’s turn this verse into a prayer:
“Thank you, LORD, that you live among us. You are a mighty Savior. Thank you that You will take delight in me with gladness. That with Your love, You will calm all my fears. Thank you that you rejoice over me with joyful songs.” Oh, Lord, anoint me to lavish my love and rejoicing over You in return. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
To know that He sings over us (as we did when we rocked our babies) is a precious thought, that I can cause Him to sing. Shouldn’t I have a song for Him as well?
Thank you so much for the reminder how lavish His love is for us.
Yes! What a sweet embrace when we are wrapped up in His arms.