photo: © Kati Molin – Fotolia.com
The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)
prompt: Mighty
When I heard the prompt for today, this Scripture came immediately to mind! Why? It is the benediction we receive at the end of each worship service. After almost a year, it is just starting to penetrate my soul.
Why do I love it? As I have mentioned before, I love contrasts! They help me understand truth often. Much of what the Bible teaches is in the form of contrasts. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a quilter and contrasts make the difference between a ho-hum quilt and one that pops!
The Lord my GOD is paralleled with the Mighty One. Of course, we know He is omnipotent or all-powerful. It sounds good, but it can also seem a bit foggy sounding too. He is huge. Grander than all the galaxies. In some places it speaks of Him flinging his hand to throw the stars in space. That’s BIG! (stop)
Enjoy this picture painted in Scripture and the beautiful contrast
But the contrast here is with the One who is mighty, powerful enough to hold the universe together (whatever that actually means) who also takes great delight in me, His child. As His child, He rejoices over me with gladness; quiets me with His love; rejoices over me with singing.
The picture is of this rugged father who is strong, but loves His children and is tender with them. There is a special look in His eye for His child. When I need help or encouragement or am fearful, He quiets me down and comforts me in His arms. At night, He sings over me as I fall asleep in His arms.
What a beautiful picture of the Father and His relationship to me. It is not because I am so productive or obedient. It is merely because I am His child that He loves me. It is totally a thing of grace. I belong to HIM!
The big, strong, massive father and the small child who rushes to Him for help. It is a touching and encouraging contrast. The truth of it is even more encouraging. He isn’t too busy or preoccupied for me. He is available and also Mighty, all powerful!
He has the power to help in ways others can’t. He can actually come through with literal help for the real need. . .as well as comfort me with His love. What an amazing GOD!
As you think about your present circumstances, how does it help to know that GOD is mighty?
How does it help to know He is ready to comfort you with His love and rejoice over you with singing?
Join me at Five Minute Friday
I am now singing the song (in my head) “He is Mighty to Save” – and my heart just feels so lifted up at the thought. I like how you learn – in contrast. I’ve told my boys how much I love them but how much God loves them so much better than I do. I’ve learned more about God’s kind of love since I’ve had children – and how to not give up on them – and how much better God is at not giving up on them in the challenge! Refreshing, uplifting post:) Thank you so much for sharing 5 minutes PLUS of your heart (I am the same way – LOL)
thanks for stopping by blue:) i always enjoy your visits. glad the post was helpful. i didn’t raise boys, only girls, but i have read that we need to reinfore what Scripture teaches about GOD and his attributes: holiness, justice, might, wisdom, etc. many of his attributes are tough and strong and “masculine” but are tempered with tenderness and kindness as well. often we present the tender attributes to our sones w/o showing them the strong ones as well. blessings in your writing blue:)
Hi Martha… beautiful contrasts… thank you for highlighting the father and the dependent child, the strong and the weak. So I think, even the rejoicing (and by contrast, when we have tears?)… this is a great angle and is making me think much more about God’s character and huge love for us.
hi ruth:) thanks for stopping by. glad you found this helpful. i always enjoy reading something that makes me think in new ways about GOD’s character. glad this post did:) i’ll have to take a browse at your blog.
Visiting from Fellowship Fri. I wrote using the same verse. So very true … “He has the power to help in ways others can’t.” So grateful He is mighty. Blessings!
well joanne, i guess great minds run on the same track:) thanks for stopping by again. i’ll have to take a look at your post.
Thank you for your comment in my blog, anb thank you for sharing an inspiring article.
It is exciting to ‘picture’ God “rejoicing over” me “with singing.”
isn’t it though romi? even on our bad days…maybe especially on our bad days! this is the One who redeemed us on the cross. He knows our sinful hearts better than we do! our bad days don’t take Him by surprise like they do us!
Hey Martha!
Your post has really encouraged me in a special way. I’m trying to figure out what God wants for my life and sometimes it’s scary and confusing. But what a comfort to remember that God loves me enough to listen to my worries and concerns, and is mighty enough to do something about them! Thanks for sharing, I pray that I’ll always remember these words.
glad you found the words encouraging felista:) i often find GOD’s words encouraging for sure. glad mine were helpful as well. seems i forget them very quickly so i need to keep hearing them over and over. it’s true that change can be very scary. it is comforting to hear GOD’s words of “fear not, I am with you. be not dismayed for I am your GOD.”
then as we stop to think on what His being our GOD means, we beging to think about things like I talked about today: His being mighty/tender with His children, holy/provided a way to redeem His people, just/merciful…but in total balance with all other attributes, etc.
when we think about this GOD, it can be mind-blowing, but it can also be so encouraging if He is our GOD and we are in His family and belong to Him.
The Lion and the lamb, the Father and his Child, the Shepherd and his sheep…what strong, tender descriptions of His might. Thank you for sharing this- it is a beautiful reminder.
thanks for stopping by brandi:) thanks too for other reminders of the strong/tender descriptions of our mighty GOD.