A Hymn of Joy After God’s Time-Out
by Heather Tietz and Joyverse
Zephaniah 3:16-17
In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” 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.
Are you in God’s time-out?
God disciplines. The Israelites bore years of God’s reprimand at the hands of other nations. They sinned; God allowed them to be conquered, taken from the Promised Land, and enslaved.
But God’s time-outs didn’t last forever. When the Israelites stopped worshiping idols, stopped dishonoring the poor and the righteous, stopped pagan practices, and they asked for God’s forgiveness, He gave them back their peace and their homes.
Today’s verse is the only one in the Bible that mentions God singing.
In keeping with His loving character, God rejoices and sings when His children repent and return to Him. Here, God is restoring to His people what He has allowed them to lose. He comes to them with a heavenly hug and an “I still love you” song after their lengthy time-out in exile.
Mark what Spurgeon said, “God is so happy in the love which He bears to His people that He breaks the eternal silence, and sun and moon and stars with astonishment hear God chanting a hymn of joy.”
Imagine God breaking into song singing over the redeemed — over you!
Reflection
What reason does God have to rejoice over me with singing and great joy?
Prayer
Dear Lord, You alone are mighty. You alone can save me. I give myself wholeheartedly to You. Please forgive my sins — blot them out completely. I want to be pure and clean and have Your song cover me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
