A touch of Zephaniah (part 1 - His Song)

Welcome to my newest "occasional series" - another one I'm not sure how many parts there will be (probably somewhere between two and four), or how long it will take me to complete. I have a lot on my plate, and my blog by necessity needs to be taken a notch or two down on my priority list. I'm NOT giving it up--just committing to putting a couple of things before it. Hoping for a couple posts a week (including Friday Fiction), but we'll see how my book and other things are coming along.

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 NIV

Just a few hours ago, I was in my wonderful church, among other things, singing praises to God. I love our church's music pastor, and the songs he chooses are always a blessing. He does a nice combination of the hymns (we opened today with "I'll Fly Away") and some of the more modern melodies (We also sang "In Christ Alone"-- a favorite of mine). It is such a wonderful thing to be with a body of believers, rejoicing over our wonderful Lord. I often imagine what our singing will sound like in Heaven. I can't even fathom singing these songs of praise in His presence.

But, do you know what is even more incredible to me? The thought that the perfect, holy God of the universe rejoices over the imperfect, fault-ridden humans of this earth. And not only that. He does so with singing. And he isn't singing the blues, either. He is singing songs of rejoicing, according to good 'ol Zephaniah the prophet.

It makes me wonder what I could possibly do to make the Lord sing. What might please God so much that it would cause Him to break out in a serenade about me? Perhaps my acts of mercy might bring a tune to His Heavenly mind. Exercising my spiritual gifts might put a song in His heart. Maybe when I sing songs of praise to Him, he joins in with His own words.

Isn't that an amazing thought?

I would love to know what I can do to make my Lord sing praises about me. And though I may not know for sure, I'm certain that following His ways and pleasing Him is a good start. Maybe, when I get to heaven, the Lord and I can sing a duet--me praising Him, and He rejoicing over me.

Now if that isn't a mind-blowing idea, I don't know what is.

Heavenly Father, thank You for opening my eyes to this single verse in Zephaniah, that is so full of blessings. Help me, Lord, to bring blessings to You, and to cause You to rejoice over Me with singing. Bringing pleasure to You is such an incredible privilege, Lord. Thank you for assuring me that I can do this for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.