Zephaniah 3: 17--“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, which means “Yahweh has protected”, wrote a series of prophecies which end in an oracle of salvation of which today’s passage comes. He is referring to God living among the Israelites when the Israelites remain faithful to his word. He foretells the salvation of those who are righteous during the reign of King Josiah. Israel had gotten away from obeying God’s law once again and had engaged in many of the practices forbidden in Deuteronomy. At this time they were under the rule of a King who did not uphold the laws of God as given to Moses. Zephaniah warns of the wrath of God and the ultimate destruction of the world because of the many ungodly practices. He goes on to speak of the protection of those who remain loyal to God and the great joy it gives God for them to do so. He promises God will save them from destruction and celebrate over them. God will rest in his love (or quiet their fears) and will joy over them with singing. What a lovely picture—God rejoicing and singing with joy. It’s hard to imagine God would be so happy to save us. It shows how important we really are to him and his great love for us. This passage is meant to encourage those who are living among the Godless and are remaining true to God’s word. How difficult it is to be the only Christian in a group of non-believers or those who believe in no God at all. It is easy to slip in with the crowd which happened many times to the Israelites. Imagine living in a country where the King discouraged your religious practices or you were commanded to worship another God. At times the Israelites were threatened with death for worshiping God or not worshipping the god of the day according to the King of the day. To maintain your faith when the leadership of your country is against it would be great cause for rejoicing especially if you faced death for doing so. Many times we are subtly persecuted for our faith (made fun of, talked down to, or treated as if we are simple). We may, without thinking, fall into the old practices just to fit in—telling racist or off-color jokes, making fun of someone else, or using foul language. The more you are around a group of people the more you tend to act like them in order to belong or at least not stand out. Being subjected to social ostracizing is minor compared to what Israelites historically faced and many Christians in countries all over the world still face. God’s rejoicing over these individuals is understandable. To face possible death and still be able to hold on to your faith in God and God’s word is worthy of singing about. We must always be mindful of those who are not fortunate enough to live in a country where they are free to practice their religion. We are called to pray for our brothers and sisters in these dark places of the world. We also need to remember to pray for ourselves when we are living, working, and playing among those who do not believe in God. We honor our God by holding to our beliefs and practices in spite of being different or looking strange to others. Be encouraged by God’s love and his joy over you when you remain loyal to him. Imagine you hear singing every time you resist the urge to fall in with the crowd around you. Feel God’s joy when you avoid fitting in and instead embrace the differences that make you a child of God and a Christian.
Dear Lord, help me remember who I am today. Give me the courage to hold fast to my beliefs and to resist the urge to fit in with the world. Help me to hear your voice, to experience your joy, and to feel you singing over me today. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
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