the Third Sunday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
The Lord our God Delights in Us
I grew up singing and have always loved to sing. We sang together as a family during evening devotions. My first memories of singing are from when I was 4 years old and my sister was 3. My dad was pastor at a little country church and he wanted Janine and me to sing together for Father’s Day. When the time came, Janine started to cry and chickened out, so I sat on the steps of the platform and sang by myself! As we got a little older, Janine and I sang together for many years, until we got married and life became busy as we had families of our own. I sang in the choir at high school and sang in the Messiah with a large choir and orchestra when I was in College. It was an amazing experience! I love to sing with our congregation at church. One of my spiritual practices is to play the piano and sing, all by myself, in our empty church. Music speaks to my heart; it lifts my spirit; and it brings joy and peace to my soul. When I sing and worship the Lord I feel close and connected to God. I often wake up in the morning with a song singing in my mind. The Lord speaks to me through music. I can’t imagine life without singing and without music.
Our reading today from the book of Zephaniah speaks of judgement and it speaks of singing. The Prophet Zephaniah spoke the word of the Lord to the people of Judah during the reign of King Josiah. The people do not trust in the Lord (1:15) and they no longer draw near to their God (3:2). They are arrogant and proud (3:4). They have broken their covenant with God and are worshipping other gods.
Zephaniah speaks of the Day of the Lord, a coming day of judgment, distress and ruin; a day of weeping and wailing, and destruction. The Day of the Lord refers to the day when Judah will be taken into captivity by Babylon. But it also refers to the eventual judgement and restoration of all humanity in the future. God’s judgement is not only coming upon Judah, but upon all the nations of the world. Zephaniah calls all people, but especially Judah, back to worship the Lord their God.
Yet Zephaniah’s words are not all gloom and doom. If people will call on the name of the Lord; if they seek the Lord, and leave behind their evil ways; if they repent, and seek righteousness and humility, God will forgive and restore (3:2). They will live in peace again and not be afraid (3:13). And that’s worth -- singing about! So, Zephaniah says: Sing! Shout! Be glad and rejoice, people of God! (3:14) Don’t be afraid. The Lord is with you! He is mighty to save! (3:17) Such amazing words for them to hear and such amazing words for us to hear.
But I wonder, why sing? What is it about singing that makes it an appropriate response? An automatic response to God’s saving actions? Singing stirs us emotionally. Music touches us deeply in the inner part of our being. Husbands and wives, lovers, are physically present with each other. They can express, in words and actions, their love and devotion to each other. They connect emotionally. Singing is a way we can connect emotionally with our God! Singing can powerfully move us. It makes our feet dance; it causes us to cry, to respond, to connect with God within the deepest parts of our being. We can feel God’s presence and can respond back to Him. Singing also unites us as people of God. It draws us together as we praise God together in one voice. There’s a reason scripture tells us over and over again to “Sing to the Lord” (Psalm 13:5,6)!
But we are not the only ones singing. God sings too! God sings and rejoices over us! We get an incredible glimpse into the very heart of God as Zephaniah declares, “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, and He will rejoice over you with singing” (3:17).
Stop and read those words again. They thrill me! God loves us! He delights in us! God rejoices over us with “joyful songs”! I don’t often think of God this way. Zephaniah’s words give us a picture of a God who is waiting for us to turn to Him, who is longing for us to come to Him, who delights in who we are, and is delighted to be with us. We sense, deep in our inner being, we are with our God who knows us intimately and loves us deeply and completely. Our God IS mighty to save: despite our failures and limitations; despite the frustrating times in which we live; despite the turmoil in the world around us. Oh, how we need to hear that today. In the midst of our failures, frustrations and confusion, in the midst of our waiting and longing for salvation and relief, God invites us to sing and rejoice, and He sings and rejoices over us! What do you hear God singing over you?
On this third Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of joy. We anticipate the joyous celebration of Christmas and Jesus’ birth. May we be filled with the joy of the Lord, and rejoice and sing. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with us. We do not need to fear any harm. He is able to gather in those who mourn; He will save the weak and helpless. He will gather us together and bring us home. So rejoice and sing with all your heart!
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