Thursday, November 10, 2011

God's Song

Have you heard God sing over you lately? I have, and it's glorious! In fact, I live for that. I live to hear His song again - every day! I remember many of His songs whispered to my heart, but one came so unexpectedly that it stands out. It happened last year.

I had just lost my father and had grieved for months when another crucial relationship became strained. Having no words to express all the emotions that filled me, God inspired me to paint. I bought an unfinished bookshelf and, with each brushstroke, I poured my soul's grief and confusion unto the wood while sitting quietly in God's presence. And then it happened.

With no warning or obvious trigger apart from a prayerful gaze seeking God's face, deep called to deep (see Psalm 42). The depth of God's mercy reached the depth of my suffering as I called on Him without words. Suddenly, I heard God speak to my restless heart, and I was healed. In an instant, I knew that God was with me, that He saw my heart and, loving me, delighted in my seeking - and delighted in me! He stilled my soul, singing over me as in these verses from Zephaniah 3:17,

"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.” 

What a promise! We don't serve a God who is far away, seated in a distant throne out of touch, uninvolved with His creation. This view of God is not scriptural and is certainly far from my experience and that of countless Christians. We have a God who left His throne to walk among us and show us God's love. His character. His goodness. And His justice. We have a God with us who is mighty to save and delights in those who seek and welcome Him.

In Philippians 2:6-11, the apostle Paul describes Jesus' saving actions. He explains that Jesus, "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Jesus is our Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14).

As we receive Him into our hearts, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us, filling us with power and love. He opens our eyes and our ears to the truth of His Word, and we begin to see Him more and more clearly. And He enables us to hear His song! His song of redemption. Of hope. Of life. The song that speaks of an everlasting love unlike anything we've ever known.

May we have ears to hear it and hearts to receive His matchless love.

His!
Dr Mari

2 comments:

  1. This is so beautiful, Mari! And I love the verses of Zephaniah. ~Ann

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  2. Thank you, Ann! I love those verses from Zephaniah; they are a river of life!

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