Misunderstanding God

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee
is mighty;
He will save, He will rejoice over
thee with joy;
He will rest in His love, He will joy
over thee with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

Every year, I try to select a verse that I can carry with me in a special way for the coming months. The above verse is a verse I have chosen on several such occasions. I love this verse because it is such an encouragement to me personally. It came to my mind today when I e-mailed it to a dear friend of mine who left today for a well deserved vacation. She's had a really tough year from last September until now and I want in the worst way for her, in these days away, to see and sense the sweet and tender side of our Heavenly Father.

Perhaps this wasn't your growing up experience, but when very young, I can recall hearing about God watching me all the time just to catch me in wrong doing. God would then pull out his huge book, turn to a page with my name at the top, and would proceed to write the date and offense I had committed. After all of that, God, I was told, would put a big black mark against me on that page. Sometimes, adults say the most damaging things to children to make their point, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. I viewed God as a big, mean old man just watching everyone with a critical eye...I didn't see love or concern even though I sang “Jesus Loves Me” every Sunday at Sunday school

At the age of nine, I was given a new view. This view was of Jesus (who I had sung about in Sunday school) who was God's Son and of all things, had come to earth to die for me. The additional information I had was that God in love had sent Jesus to do all of that. It was a little hard for my child's mind to sort out, but began to accept it all by faith even if I didn't understand it all. By the way, we never will.

When I want to curl up in God's lap, I think of when I held my own children. Perhaps they were ill, maybe they were scared for some reason or just needed comfort and closeness that any child needs from time to time. I would first do all I could to ease any physical discomfort they might be experiencing. In other cases, I would speak of my love for them or say some things to cheer or encourage. When they were very young, I often sang a spiritual chorus or hymn to them. They may not even as adults remember some of that, but I remember doing it. Parents can't always be authoritarian, but provide safety as much as possible. Very often, as they observe their fathers, they will judge God their Heavenly Father by their own daddy.

The above verse is one of many that becomes my safe and sacred place with my Heavenly Father. I see in this verse everything I need from Him on a daily basis. Scripture speaks in more places than can be listed of God's love and tender care. This verse is just a special capsule of what has helped me to continually come to a right understanding of God my Father. I'm not saying I know all about Him...no one does. We do, however, need to get past some misconceptions of Him so that we can come to a point of really enjoying being God's child and His being our loving Father.

In the above verse found in the last chapter of Zephaniah are a few things I love and just adore about my Heavenly Father. In these things is His perfection personified. He has no ulterior motives, but just wants us to know how much He dearly loves us. Everything He does is out of love and this verse expresses some of those things.

• He is MY God...I take this statement in a very personal way as He intends it should.
• He is in my midst...I'm never out of his loving, protective sight.
• He is mighty...My Heavenly Father is strong and cannot be defeated.
• My Father will save me...Later, He sent His Son to see to that.
• He rejoices over me with joy...How like a loving parent. He takes great joy in me.
• I can rest in the security of God's love.
• He sings over me with joy....Yes, God sings and sings over me. WOW! God sings!
  

Look at that list. That verse should bless and encourage you and me to the hilt. You and I can curl up close to our Heavenly Father and He is all those things in our lives. What wonderful promises are there for you and me.

One might say, “Well, that's in the Old Testament and we are New Testament people.” Let me suggest to you that one of my joys in reading in the Old Testament is seeing the character of God in all sorts of life situations. God never changes in His character no matter where we read in the Scriptures. That's what is so wonderful about having a consistent Heavenly Father who never changes.

We must have a healthy respect for who God is. He can't tolerate sin in the world and in us. He will deal with it as a parent would/should deal with a child's wrongdoing. His dealings will be just...He can do nothing less. With all the love He showers on us, our natural response should be to love Him so much that we don't want to disappoint Him. When we do sin, it should be automatic for us to confess our sin and seek His forgiveness. I'm not suggesting that we have an unrealistic view of God, our God who is perfect, holy and intolerant of sin. We should, however, come to enjoy Him...His love and care for each of us.

I cant' help but wonder though, what God's singing voice sounds like as He sings joyfully over me. Someday I'll know...on the other side.

Father, forgive me for not enjoying Your presence as I should. I want to love You freely, with no inhibitions because that's how You love me. Thank You for all You do for me even with every breath I breathe. Help me to relax and love You with ease and to be excited about our relationship. I love You and love Your songs even if I can't quite hear them yet...in Jesus precious name...Amen