Resting in the God Who Rejoices Over Me - Your Nightly Scripture - October 3rd
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Resting in the God Who Rejoices Over Me
Evening Scripture
Zephaniah, Chapter 3
Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,
the oppressing city!
She listens to no voice;
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord;
she does not draw near to her God.
Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing till the morning.
Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men;
her priests profane what is holy;
they do violence to the law.
The Lord within her is righteous;
he does no injustice;
every morning he shows forth his justice;
each dawn he does not fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.
“I have cut off nations;
their battlements are in ruins;
I have laid waste their streets
so that no one walks in them;
their cities have been made desolate,
without a man, without an inhabitant.
I said, ‘Surely you will fear me;
you will accept correction.
Then your dwelling would not be cut off
according to all that I have appointed against you.’
But all the more they were eager
to make all their deeds corrupt.
“Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord,
“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
all my burning anger;
for in the fire of my jealousy
all the earth shall be consumed.
“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.
“On that day you shall not be put to shame
because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
in my holy mountain.
But I will leave in your midst
a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,
those who are left in Israel;
they shall do no injustice
and speak no lies,
nor shall there be found in their mouth
a deceitful tongue.
For they shall graze and lie down,
and none shall make them afraid.”
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the Lord.
Evening Reflection
I’ll always remember the moment I fully believed that God not only loves me fully, but He rejoices over me. He delights in my life and lavishes His unwavering devotion by leading and guiding me all of my days.
When we see God this way, it changes how we live day to day. It gives merit to the mundane and reveals that God’s plans and purposes for us are not only personal, but intentional.
When this Scripture was penned, a lot of chaos was unfolding. Judgment was at hand, and people were full of fear, wondering what would happen as the life they knew seemed to be crumbling around them. Then, amid the panic, God spoke powerful promises to His people through the prophet Zephaniah.
He stated not only His love for His people, but also that He rejoiced over them. He promised protection and a way forward. He declared His people would be quieted in their Spirit, their shame would turn into praise, and He would restore their fortunes before their eyes.
Promises like that change how you live. Their impact goes far beyond what the eye can see; these promises penetrate the heart and give life to the fullness of joy in God alone.
Tonight, as the day comes to a close, rest in God's promises. Rest in knowing God is rejoicing over you as you sleep. He sings over you, washes peace over you, and gives you tangible reminders through His Word that you are a delight to Him. He promises to meet you where you are and restore the heavy parts of your heart. He will do a work before your eyes that strengthens your relationship with Him.
His delight and rejoicing over your life is a testimony to be shared — a hope to give to those around you. Let His promise bring you peace and His love be your joy.
Evening Prayer
Father,
Thank you for loving me with your unwavering love. You not only delight in my life, but you rejoice over me. Help me rest in your promises. As some seasons feel long and relentless, remind me that you are doing a mighty work before my eyes; you will bring restoration and a quietness to my Spirit. When my feet hit the floor in the morning, Holy Spirit, remind me to praise God for another day to walk with Him. Keep my eyes fixed on you regardless of what’s happening in the world around me. You are in control, and I delight in being your Child.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
How did tonight’s scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/aldomurillo
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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