ZEPHANIAH 3:17 – “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.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE HEART OF GOD TO US. Today’s scripture shouts overwhelming encouragement to the downcast Christian; sends forth a tidal wave of peace for the storm-tossed heart; and gives abundance of power calming our racing hearts in times of intense trial. Every word sends forth amazing grace. Every truth produces eye-popping joy of God to us. Oh, what a heart it is!
There was a 19th century English like a child on an early Christmas morn. And what do we truly see in each word and sentence? The heart
pastor named Octavius Winslow. He was not only known for his sound preaching but as a prolific writer with a profound devotional style instructing the mind and warming the heart by God’s truth. Many of his books are in print. Here are two I highly recommend make it to the top of our list of “must read” books in the new year. We will be so encouraged by them – The Precious Things of God and The Glory of the Redeemer.
In reference to the scripture of today, Winslow offers great insight on the power of God’s love to quiet our troubled hearts and minds and that particularly against the powerful forces of accusations made against the child of God.
He wrote – “Divine wrath is silent, because love has hushed it. Divine justice is silent, because love has satisfied it. Satan is silent, because love has vanquished him. God’s love has silenced every voice but its own. When an accusation was brought against a poor sinner (woman caught in adultery) in the presence of Jesus, and He was called upon to adjudicate in the case, it is recorded that He “stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not” (John 8:6). He was silent, because of His love! And have we no accusers? Ah, yes! Many and just. Conscience accuses, Satan accuses, sin accuses, and the world accuses but Jesus accuses not; He is silent, because of His love. They condemn loudly, fiercely, justly, but He never condemns. “And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground” (John 8:8). Still not a word of condemnation breathed from His lips. He had been wronged, He had been sinned against, His holy law had been broken, and the witness, many and malignant, are there to testify in truth against the sinner. But Jesus is silent, and silent in His love.”
How encouraging are such words! This is the heart of our God to us! He is always near us in His love. He is always mighty to deliver us by His love. He is always taking great delight in us, even rejoicing over us, through His love. He is always calming our fears because of His love. And He is always and will always exult over us with loud singing in and by His steadfast, unchanging, eternal, patient, kind, and gentle love. May we learn to rest in such staggering truths that respond with loud singing because of our love for Him!
PRAYER: Father, let me daily be overwhelmed by Your love for me and delight in me.
REFLECTION: To doubt the love of God for us is to bring about the greatest grief to His heart of love for us.