We are continuing to look at some of your favorite Bible verses that you’ve sent to me.  If you have a favorite verse or a verse you’ve wondered about, email or send me a message! 

Today we are looking at Zephaniah 3:17.  We’ll look at this passage and then the greater whole of this book: 

17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
    a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing

We are reading from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, but with this passage, I’ve always liked the way that it reads in the English Standard Version (ESV): 

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.

I like the way it says He will quiet you by His love.  The point of both passages is this, we will be able to rest and be renewed by His love.  The book of Zephaniah is one where the prophet is pronouncing judgements.  

God will judge Judah because of their sin.  They have done much to break the covenant and punishment will come because of that.  We know, as Christians, Jesus Christ took our ultimate punishment for our sins, so we can rest in the hope of grace, no matter what.  

God then tells the enemies of His people, that they too will face judgement for their sins. So, we see that much of Zephaniah deals with judgement and God’s justice.  It is a book of warning, of what God will bring to pass.  

But then we get to this beautiful passage in the middle of Chapter 3.  This is something we see throughout so many of the prophets, judgement is coming!  The people have earned the judgement of God.  It is coming!  But, God remembers His love.  He cannot destroy, He cannot cast aside.  He cannot give up on His people. For He loves them.  Even more than He disposes their their sins, He loves.  He calls us them to that remembrance.  He loves them.  

So today, we see that He will renew us with His love.  He will quiet us by His love.  We can have life and hope and peace.  Why?  Because of His love.  This passage reminds me of the comfort a parent with give their child in the midst of a storm.  Think, parents, how often our children would be scared and we’d whisper, “Shh, it’s going to be ok.”  We would quiet them, assure them, comfort and renew them, with our love. 

That is what God does for us, in the midst of chaos.  He quiets us with His love.  Rest in His love.  Trust in His love.  Have peace because of His love.  We can always, always, trust in His love.  

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