He's A Good Good Father

There was a time in my walk with God, where I only saw Him as this God somewhere out there, so far away who left us with many rules to follow. This only left me frustrated, realizing that I was incapable of measuring up to what I thought He expected of me. My life seemed like a series of hurdles I had to jump to get approval of Him, others and even myself. What a life-changing revelation it was for me when I realized that God loved me for who I was!! He is a loving Father who wants me to become all that He designed me to be. He only wants the best for me and has a wonderful plan for my life. As I began reading His Word, and spending time in Prayer, I was able to learn more about that plan and most importantly come to really know Him! It is not only important to know the Word of God, but we also need to know the God of the Word.

I was reading in Zephaniah 3:17 and this verse just jumped off of the page at me. I have learned in the past that when this happens, I know that God has so much more that He wants to teach me. I began to pray and study and discovered the relationship God wanted to have with me. I want to encourage you today that He wants this same relationship with you!

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

1. The Lord your God in your midst. (HIS PRESENCE) Our Father always promises to be with us. This means that no matter where we go or whatever situations we may face, He is with us. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6) King David even wrote about the intimate Presence of God in Psalm 139: Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence? No matter where we go, His hand shall lead us. Even in our times of darkness, we can seek the Him and He will shine light in that darkness. God comes in where it is dark even when it seems He is nowhere to be found. He made darkness his secret place (Psalm 18:11) and He gives treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places. (Isaiah 45:3)

2. The Mighty One, will save. (HIS POWER) When we face situations from which we need deliverance, our Father's wisdom and His Word will save us. Proverbs 11:9 ...”through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” His Word tells us that we will have many afflictions but He will deliver us from them all. (Psalm 34:19) Through His Power, deliverance is possible and available to us.

3. He will rejoice over you with gladness. (HIS PRAISE) There are times when our heart may become heavy from the cares of this life. But Our Father says to cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us. (I Peter 5:7) The cares of this world are not for us to carry. He loves and cares for us so much, that He is here to take care of everything for us. He even appoints unto us beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and as we begin to lift up our voice to Him, He rejoices over us and with us. (Isaiah 61:3) Anything that takes us away from our Father, He always rejoices over us when we return to Him.

4. He will quiet you with His love. (HIS PEACE) Today, we live in a fast-paced world. There is so much stress and chaos. But we must order our lives so that we plan the first of our day to spend in Praise, Prayer and His Word. We never know what each day will bring us, but even in the midst of stress, when we seek the Lord, Our Father promises to give us perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3) He also will speak peace over any life's storm that begins to rage around us. (Mark 4) He will create calm with His love. He is the only One capable of taking us to that place of rest in Him, to quiet our hearts, and to envelop us with His love, by calming us while in the storm, while He goes through it with us.

5. He will rejoice over you with singing. (HIS PROTECTION) This one is a favorite of mine. It never fails, when I am going through something and become overwhelmed, my Loving Father always directs me to first, His Word, than to a song that ministers to my heart. I find that music softens the pain, increases the joy and opens the heart! I know that from the ends of the earth, when I cry out to my Father, when my heart is overwhelmed, He will lead me to a rock higher than I. (Psalm 61:2) When I am overwhelmed, my Father calms me with a song. He softens my pain, increases my joy and opens my heart to receive from Him. He takes me to higher heights with Him where I am steadfast, immovable. I have a hiding place in Him where He always protects me from trouble and surrounds me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7) Praise God!

It's interesting to learn that the name Zephaniah means...the Lord has hidden/protected. When the tormenting spirit came upon Saul, David played his harp and it changed everything. It calmed him. Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. (I Samuel 16:23) Zephaniah says that our Father sings over us. There is so much power in music that lifts Him up, then we are lifted up. When He leads me to a song, I hear Him singing it over me, ministering to me until deliverance comes.

Our Loving Father desires an intimate relationship with us. With that relationship we have His Presence, His Power, His Praise, His Peace and His Protection. He's a GOOD GOOD FATHER! And we are loved by Him!