“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
The book of Zephaniah was written to warn of impending judgment on Judah. In the midst of the doom however, the book ends with a promise of restoration, forgiveness and blessing. In Zephaniah 3:17, we find the powerful truths shown below.
The Lord is among His people
What a comfort it is to know that God is with His people even in the most challenging circumstances. Grab a hold of that fact without allowing your feelings and your circumstances to control you. He has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
The Lord is always with His people even though we may not feel like it at times.
He takes delight in you.
Today, many people battle an identity crisis. They struggle with rejection, feeling unloved, low self- esteem and a sense of unworthiness. The situation worsens when we go through regular failures.
What is your condition today? Unloved? Rejected? Feeling worthless? Does it seem like everything you touch turns to tears? If so, rejoice, because God knows you by name (Isaiah 43:1) and He takes great delight in you.
Will you rather believe your feelings, others opinions, or the truth of God’s word.
He is mighty to save
When we trust Jesus, His resurrection power works in us. That power will deliver us from every attack of the evil one for nothing can overcome us when God is on our side (Romans 8:31).
If I were walking down a dark alley and two strong men were waiting to overpower and rob me, it wouldn’t be too difficult since I am not a strongly built person. However, if the Heavyweight boxing champion of the world was walking by my side, the end result would be totally different!!
How much more secure we are when Jesus, the living Savior, dwells in us!! He is mighty to save.
With His love He will calm (quiet) you
In a world filled with stress, God gives His children lasting peace. It is a peace that passes human understanding (Philippians 4:7) and calms us when we feel overwhelmed.
In the midst of a serious spinal problem I had in my mid-twenties, it was only the peace of God that sustained me through 25 days of hospitalization, heavy and discomforting traction (sandbags) on both legs, negative words spoken by many people and what seemed like an uncertain future. Many years later, I still haven’t needed surgery!!
Let’s be encouraged by the words of Zephaniah 3:17 and trust our Lord at all times.
