Did You Forget? God Rejoices Over You with Singing
A reminder of the Father's love
Writing with Jesus is a reader-supported publication where laughter is found, tears are shed, and faith is made steadfast. Writings on wrestling with God, motherhood, and some comedy to lighten the mood.
“The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in His love He will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Reader, have you ever considered that God sings over you?
Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that the Lord rejoices over me with singing. It’s hard to imagine such an unconditional love from our Father, how much He must adore me and cherish me. My human mind, so small, and my human heart, so vulnerable to my flesh, wrestle at times to so easily accept that yes, I have a Heavenly Father who takes such a great delight in me that He can be moved into song.
The other day we streamed a live worship session from a local church on our television (Thank you YouTube and modern technology!). Low on groceries, my husband stepped out to run up the street and grab us some breakfast. While our baby girl, Daisy, was crawling around with her toys and books, I decided to stand up in front of the television to worship along. The moment I closed my eyes and put my hands high up in the air, I immediately began to weep. I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t overjoyed. The presence of the Lord simply fell on me, right there in my living room, and my earthly body could not contain it. His glory was too overwhelming.
While singing through my uncontrollable tears, Daisy crawled up to me and climbed up my leg to a standing position. I looked down at her and she looked up at me and smiled.
Later that afternoon as I laid on the couch, baby girl breastfeeding on my chest, my husband suddenly sat up and went to grab his guitar. He stood over us, a foot resting on the couch cushion for his knee to support the guitar, and began singing to Daisy.
I love you Daisy, I love you Daisy, I love you Daisy, he sang, creating a new melody, strumming with vigor and joy, staring at her with a large smile as he sang.
Daisy abruptly stopped breastfeeding, sat up, and looked at him. And putting both her hands up in the air, began to sway and bounce up and down, arms raised high, smiling back at him, receiving her daddy’s love.
I sat in awe for a moment. Daisy did nothing to deserve this song. She was only feeding. In fact, Daisy has begun to hit us in the face when she doesn’t get what she wants. She tests the boundaries of what she can touch and not touch in our home. She screams and cries when she doesn’t get her way. She’s a baby. And she’s never once in her life worked to earn our love. It is freely given.
And here was Ryan, joyfully singing over her, not because of anything she has done to earn it, not withholding it for anything she has done wrong. He sang over her simply because she is his.
It was then I was reminded of how much our Father loves us, for how could my husband, Ryan, love his own child if he were not designed to love her in such a way?
“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27
“…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus…We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:16-19
Do you love me like that, too, Lord? I prayed.
Goodness yes. It is always yes. Why is that so hard to remember. His love is unlike any other. It is not given once I have changed in order to earn it. It is freely given and because of it, I am changed.
And that means you, too, Reader. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you’ve done. But if this was the last conversation we ever had, I would hold you by your forearms, look you in the eyes, and implore you to hear me. Jesus loves you. He loves you. You. His beloved child.
I don’t care what choices you’ve made in life that you might point at to try to convince me Jesus doesn’t love you as much as He loves others. Because Jesus is pointing at the cross to tell you that He already paid the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong. We live in light of the cross, on the other side of His sacrifice and resurrection. He’s not asking for your perfection. He’s simply asking for your heart, your repentance, your surrender. For you to rest in His perfection.
I don’t know who needs to read this, but call on Jesus, Reader. He’s worth everything you’re afraid of losing.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Katie Donohue Tona
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This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful, Kate!❤️