Have your actions caused God to sing with joy? Or has your life filled your Creator with deep sorrow?
We are admonished over and over again to sing, rejoice and to praise. Commands of this kind are sprinkled throughout God’s Word. In times of hardship, these type of commands are not our normal “go to” reaction. Yet God wants us to be a joy-filled people whether we face a life of normality or hard reality.
Knowing the desire God has for a joy-filled people, is it any surprise to realize that God, Himself sings with joy.
Singing turned to Sighing
The book of Zephaniah is found in the Old Testament. Its entirety is made up of only 3 chapters. Within this book, God is pronouncing judgment on various nations. God’s beloved city of Jerusalem is among those who stand for retribution of sins.
We find complacency, carelessness, pride and rebellion among the sins that God is declaring punishment on. You can hear the divine sorrow threaded throughout the words of this small book of prophecy. Woes are pronounced and desolation is seen.
Israel is found to be lacking. Not obeying God’s voice, not trusting in God, not drawing near to God and not receiving correction are all indictments against God’s chosen people. These were the things they had left undone. They silenced the song of God. His song had been turned to the sigh of sorrow.
Are you guilty of any these indictments? Is your life silencing the song of the Almighty?
God offered the Israelite’s the way of repentance. He wooed with hope and love. God’s heart longed for them to turn back to Him. Despite all God did, they continued on in their sin. Consequently, judgment was pronounced.
Command to Sing
The book of Zephaniah, though saturated with judgments and sorrow does not end there. In that last chapter, God commands the daughters of Zion to sing and shout. To be glad and rejoice with all their heart was the instruction given.
God is looking forward to a time when His people learn to trust in the name of the Lord. Moreover, the time will come when God shall dwell in the midst of his people. In addition, God will save them from the evil and destroy their enemies. As a result, joy will flow from the heart of God as His people draw near with repentance and correct what is off-kilter in their lives. God can be heard singing as His people learn to rest in Him.
How is your life affecting God? Is His sorrow deep because of your indifference and pride? Have you resisted God’s commands and become self-reliant and rebellious?
Or are you willing to let God give course corrections in your life? Is obedience to God’s commands paramount? Are you finding ways to draw near and trust the heart of God? If so, your life will bring about joy and singing in heaven. You will find the springtime of the soul as you trust the Father’s heart.
The Song of Joy
As you walk the path that God lays out for you, “He will joy over thee with singing.” God delights in you. He rejoices over you to do good for you.
God is serious about bringing His joy into your life. He sent Jesus “that our joy might be full.” Is it any wonder that God commands that we sing and rejoice? The well-known author, C.S. Lewis said it this way:
“Joy is the serious business of heaven.”
C. S. Lewis
Joy is an essential part of heaven. God wants to impart joy to us while we are here on earth. As we obey God’s commands, a song of rejoicing will not be far from our lips. Subsequently, God bends near and joins with us as we sing the joyous refrain.
To sum it up, a life lived near to the heart of God results in the singing of the Almighty. Have you caused God to sing today?
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