God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. Isaiah 62:5 (NLT)
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with trimbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.
Psalm 149: 1-5 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Philippians 4:4 (NIV)
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12 (NIV)
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6 (NIV)
Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. Ephesians 5:18-19 (NLT)
For Reflection:
Today begins week 3 of our 21 days of prayer together. We spent the first week refocusing our gaze on God, as he refocuses our thoughts and attitudes on his love. We took week two to remember all of the ways that God’s love has refreshed us and those who came before us and can rekindle our spirits as we abide in Him. This week we will let God restore us as we abide in His redeeming love. A love that we look at today through the lens of a wedding.
I love weddings. The hope of a new beginning, the celebration of love, the joy and beauty shared on that day and of course the dancing. But one part always stands out to me as my favorite. As the ceremony begins and all eyes anxiously peer for the first look at the bride, at what dress she is wearing, at her beauty, at the start of something new. My favorite part is to shift my gaze and watch the groom watching her. The look in his eyes gets me every time. There is vulnerability in that look that the veil of masculinity often causes him to conceal, but in this moment he is overwhelmed by love for his beloved; his face says it all. Everyone is watching her, but it is him alone that she is walking towards. She is coming to her beloved, she is committing herself to be his forever, and he sees nothing else in the world but her. Do you ever feel God looking at you like this? Do you feel his gaze of complete adoration and singular pursuit upon you? He will rejoice in you like a bridegroom in his bride.
I set aside the list of why I feel I don’t deserve it, all of the reasons I could deny it, all the ways I could try to be worthy of it, and I still myself, surrender to the simple truth that God delights in me, rejoices over me as his beloved. When I feel the loving eyes of the God of the Universe gazing upon me with tenderness I am humbled, awed and filled with inexplicable, overwhelming joy. I can’t help but praise him. I delight in the Lord as he delights in me. My worship pours forth to the Father, Spirit, Son; giving me a glimpse of the joy contained in this eternal relationship of love. Heaven and earth are consistently participating in this posture of praise. All of humanity is invited to join together in song and hymn. I add my voice and sing my praise to my God, my Savior. "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!" "All the trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap)." "Let everything that, everything that, everything that has breath praise the Lord." "Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee. How great thou art, how great thou art!". Creation worshiping its creator and, incredibly, the creator rejoicing in his creation. Beloved, your God delights in you today.
Let us pray:
God, it seems impossible that you could hold me in such esteem. I should be the one groveling at your feet. But you call me yours, you give me a crown, you delight in my existence. All I have to offer you in response is praise. Oh, how I delight in you Lord. I rejoice again and again in your great love for us all. You are so good. Keep me abiding in this love in everything I do, I praise of you. Amen.
What stirs in me when I picture God rejoicing in me?
How can I abide in a posture of worship today?