Dear friend, today we are going to meditate on Zephaniah 3:17. This is my husband’s favourite verse. Here, the Bible says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a Mighty One who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” This verse is full of emotion. Our Lord is not far away from us. He is in our midst and deeply involved in every detail of our lives. At any time of day, we can call out to Him. He loves us so much that He gave His life for us. Our Lord Jesus finished every work on the cross so that we can be quieted by His love. Not only is He near, but He is mighty to save. He is not here to condemn us. He rejoices over us.

How does God rejoice over us? In Isaiah 62:5, the Bible says, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall God rejoice over you.” Such is the depth of His love. The world may judge or condemn us, but God’s love is unconditional. There is no barrier to His love. He will always be by your side, loving you and rejoicing over you. After Jesus' death on the cross, the disciples missed Him deeply. Their hearts were troubled. In Luke 24, as they walked the road to Emmaus, Jesus appeared to them. He opened the Scriptures and spoke about Himself. At the end, the disciples said in Luke 24:32, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?” 

This is the love of Jesus for His disciples. And Jesus loves you the same way. He not only rejoices over you, but He also teaches you about Himself every time you read His Word. That’s how much He loves you. As Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” So every time you open the Bible, take Jesus for yourself. He will come and sit in your heart. He’ll be pleased with you. He’ll rejoice over you with shouts of joy, right from within your heart. The love of Jesus is like a mother’s love—He cradles us, sings over us, and even puts us to sleep. I’ve experienced this many times. On nights when I’ve gone to bed with tears, the Lord has spoken softly in my ears with a still, small voice, “My child, go to bed. I am here for you.” Dear friend, the Lord truly loves you and rejoices over you. Never say there is no one in the world to love you. God is in your midst. 

PRAYER: 
Loving Lord, thank You for being in my midst as a mighty Saviour who rejoices over me with gladness. Thank You for quieting my heart with Your love. Just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, You rejoice over me. Teach me to listen for Your still, small voice, especially in the quiet hours of night. When I’m weary, cradle me in Your arms. Let my heart burn with joy as I walk with You, meditating on Your Word. Lord Jesus, thank You for finishing the work on the cross so that I can experience Your presence and peace always. I invite You into my heart again today. Rejoice over me, O Lord, and let me feel Your delight. In Jesus’ name, I pray Amen.