When God Is Happy
by Heather Tietz
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah was a prophet whose name means “the Lord has hidden” or “the Lord has sheltered.”
God spoke with Zephaniah in a way that few others have known. God shared a closeness with him that few others have felt.
Zephaniah had special windows of heaven open to him. Perhaps he had unique conversations with God. Thus, he wrote, God “will rejoice over you with singing.”
Had Zephaniah heard heavenly songs? Somehow, he knew that this God for whom he translated messages was the songwriting, music making, joy expressing type.
This God — our God — sings when He is utterly happy. Our God is inspired to create music!
Today’s verse is the only verse in the Bible to mention God singing. Imagine what it would be like to hear!
Zephaniah tells us that God sings when He is filled with joy. When He sings, He is rejoicing over us!
“Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul” (Jeremiah 32:41).
Reflection
If I were to overhear a song God was singing over me, what words might it have?
Prayer
Dear loving Lord, Thank You for Your might and grace. I pray that I give You joy and a reason for singing. Help me to be happy through Your presence in my daily life. In the name of Jesus, my joy, I pray, Amen.
