Wednesday, July 16, 2008

He Rejoices Over Me With Singing!

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!"


This is one of my favorite verses. I needed to hear this this morning. I am a bit overwhelmed with all the changes taking place in our lives lately. I need God to quiet my anxious spirit with His love.
"Worry" and I are old enemies. I know this character, far more personally than I should and he is knocking hard at my door. So this morning I went to the Word and let "Faith" answer the knock.

I read about Joseph in prison and was reminded that even there, when all hope should have been lost and "Worry" should have had complete tortuous authority, Joseph had faith. He waited on the Lord and did everything He knew to do, to His best! I am so... not like that!
I don't like waiting when I know change is coming. I would rather slam on in, or stay where I am and just not go! I noticed something odd too...Joseph told the cupbearer that he had been stolen from the land of the Hebrews. He did not say, "My stinking mean ole brothers sold me into slavery." In fact he did not put any blame on his brothers at all. Me, now I would have wanted everyone to know the injustice!

I have been pondering this all morning. What do you think? Do you think Joseph's faith was that strong and he had already forgiven his brothers or was he just embarrassed that his brothers had sold him into slavery? Personally, I want to believe it was the first. To have that kind of forgiveness and faith in the midst of those circumstances....WOW!

Back to the "Worry" I am facing today. My family is in the midst of lots of changes. My new adventures in blogging and Women's Speaking ministry, My daughter being asked to sing at more and more places...I've had to get a calender just for her. And yesterday my husband interviewed for a part-time pastors position in a brand new church start. It went very well and we felt God's presence in the interview. It remains to be seen if the committee felt the same way.

So....we could be changing churches and going back into the frontline in church work. We have been there before in Church staff positions but never in the pastoral role or even in a church start.

So I flipped from Joseph to Zephaniah, to remind myself that God will quiet me with His love. Today, I plan on listening closely to see if my heart can hear the song He is singing over me.
I bet it is a love song or maybe something like "Don't Worry, Be Happy!"

What about you? What song is He singing over you today? Share!

8 comments:

LeeBird3 said...

Hey there my new, but still precious, friend,

Here's my prayer for you today...

Lord,

It sounds as if You are about to open up some amazing opportunities for Pamela and her family! I thank You that this family has a heart of service ready and willing to obey Your quiet, but definate callings. I pray that You would give Pamela complete peace knowing that You have it all covered. I have learned over the years that the will of God will not take us where the grace of God can't trace us. Give Pamela the patience she needs to wait for Your perfect timing. I completely understand the discomfort she feels during this "in-between" time. Please, Lord, continue to give Pamela and her family comforting promises from Your word...promises that will sustain them through this time of repositioning. In the name of amazing Jesus I pray, AMEN

Angela said...

I love the line "he will quiet you with his love"..as a parent to a sobbing child..there is nothing more comforting than to be held in our mom or dad's arms, what a restful line. I know all about feeling anxious, or even resentful of change. I guess the thing to hold on to is that we are not the ones in control, and we didn't have even our present circumstances in mind for ourselves. He knows so much better than we do. Thanks so much for praying for me today..I certainly needed to stand firm because I had a long debate with a man I work with about why I declare God to be the only god..why your truth is ok and my truth is ok is contradictory and therefore makes everything false. I was able to give good points clearly, and I spoke with love and respect..but I stood firm and while he didn't concede to my belief, I know that will have a lot to think about. Also, we have a new girl at work who is a Christian and she and I have had some awesome talks. God is pouring out his love on me through you ladies in the blogging community, and I guess he isn't stopping there. I hope you are peaceful and that God will rock you to sleep tonight and I pray that tomorrow you would be so joyful as you trust God.
Sorry so long
Angela

Kelly said...

The song going through my head today is "WE ROCK" from the Camp Rock movie on Disney. (I have a nearly 9 yr old). Since you have a young daughter too, perhaps you are familiar with it.

It is not a Christian song - so I doubt God put it in my head....on second thought, after my "Rockin" post the other day - maybe he did!

Thanks for your sweet note on my blog. :-)

christi said...

thank you so much for praying for my dear friends sister-in-law. when i know sometime i will pass on the word. she told me she would call me on her way home.

i am just praying that God uses this to his glory and that just maybe my friend Lauren can share Gods love with her and her husband and they will come to know Him, who is the ultimite healer, the Lover of our souls and the One one who offers us true peace. thanks again for lifting this family up in prayers.

johnsonfamilyof6 said...

Hi Pamela! It's nice to meet you in the blog world!

I will absolutely be praying for you and your family.

Isn't it something, to be so sure of who God is and trusting of His divine care and yet so nervous about what is to come? Faith leads us through so many bends in life.

You can count on my prayers. I hope to get to know you better!
Please visit my blog any-ole time!

Tanya

christi said...

thank you, thank you, thank you! your prayers were felt this afternoon. lauren just called and told me that her sister in law has decided to keep their baby. the doctor said that this was the only problem that she saw and that she should be able to carry the baby to term. the baby will need surgery right after birth ( she is due in jan.)she will prob. be in the NICU for up tp 1 month.

her husband jim said that he could not ask her to abort their little girl after seeing her on the sonogram and seeing just how perfect she is.

if you think of them could you still lift them up in prayer? i pray that the Lord gets all the glory from the life of this little girl and that through her life and story they might find salvation in Him.

blessings ~

Lisa said...

Loved this, Pamela. Great and very thoughtprovoking!

I haven't forgottena about your book! I promise to get it to you soon.

Lisa :)

The Equipped Life said...

I love this verse, too. It reads so differently than in the KJV and when I read it in this version I loved the phrasing 'He will quiet you with his love'. Several years back, I wrote a short chorus based off this verse.

His love calms my storms
When the waves are tossing me
When the pressures of this life
Push so relentlessly
When confusion, pain and sorrow
Strike their cruel blow
That's when His love quiets my soul