who I really am: wanted and pursued
God re-gave me Zephaniah 3:17 during the ladies retreat that I was able to participate in this past weekend. And just so you know, in order for something to be a gift you have to receive it. (That truth is something else I learned at the retreat, and quite enough for an entire blog post of its own by the way.) So, I have accepted this truth in my head and in my heart. Here is the verse in the New Living Translation version:
"For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With His love, He will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."
The words from this verse that God re-gifted to me are "rejoice over you". The Amplified says, "exalt over you"; the Message says "delight you with", the ASV - "He will joy over thee"; the CEV - "celebrate and sing because of you"; the ESV - "exult"; and the GWT states "be joyful over you".
I think all us girls know and will readily admit that we love to be pursued. Duh. :) But have you ever felt pursued by God? Since coming to Papua New Guinea, I have felt God lavishing me with His attention and love. He is pursuing me (as He always has). I suppose though I feel it most right now and right here because all things else feel completely foreign. Being the new girl on campus is by far the loneliest place I have ever been. Friends and family feel far away, and life here could continue just fine without me. It has been a sad place for me to be, but God has met me in wild and amazing ways SMACK in the center of it all. He is never foreign!
I hope you can "see" why this verse means so much to me. It is a culmination of what I been living out these past few weeks. His Word is true, and I am indeed wanted. I am His beloved.
Here a few of those words defined (Thank you, Merriam Webster app.):
1. exalt - raise in rank, power, character; elevate by praise; glorify; raise high; elevate
2. delight - extreme satisfaction; gives great pleasure
3. rejoice - feel joy
4. joy - cause of delight; emotion evoked by prospect of possessing what one desires
5. celebrate - honor; hold up; keep
6. exult - leap for joy
In the midst of the yuckiness of transition, God has met me. He has reminded me that He is indeed in love with my soul. That I please Him. And the pleasure that He finds in me is not that He can put up with me, but that He sings over me! That I evoke in Him extreme satisfaction. He feels joy towards me. His ownership of me causes Him joy. He honors me.
I think I will let Barlow Girl sum this up for me:
"You're a God who has all things and still You want me... Your love makes me see who I really am."
"For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With His love, He will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."
The words from this verse that God re-gifted to me are "rejoice over you". The Amplified says, "exalt over you"; the Message says "delight you with", the ASV - "He will joy over thee"; the CEV - "celebrate and sing because of you"; the ESV - "exult"; and the GWT states "be joyful over you".
I think all us girls know and will readily admit that we love to be pursued. Duh. :) But have you ever felt pursued by God? Since coming to Papua New Guinea, I have felt God lavishing me with His attention and love. He is pursuing me (as He always has). I suppose though I feel it most right now and right here because all things else feel completely foreign. Being the new girl on campus is by far the loneliest place I have ever been. Friends and family feel far away, and life here could continue just fine without me. It has been a sad place for me to be, but God has met me in wild and amazing ways SMACK in the center of it all. He is never foreign!
I hope you can "see" why this verse means so much to me. It is a culmination of what I been living out these past few weeks. His Word is true, and I am indeed wanted. I am His beloved.
Here a few of those words defined (Thank you, Merriam Webster app.):
1. exalt - raise in rank, power, character; elevate by praise; glorify; raise high; elevate
2. delight - extreme satisfaction; gives great pleasure
3. rejoice - feel joy
4. joy - cause of delight; emotion evoked by prospect of possessing what one desires
5. celebrate - honor; hold up; keep
6. exult - leap for joy
In the midst of the yuckiness of transition, God has met me. He has reminded me that He is indeed in love with my soul. That I please Him. And the pleasure that He finds in me is not that He can put up with me, but that He sings over me! That I evoke in Him extreme satisfaction. He feels joy towards me. His ownership of me causes Him joy. He honors me.
I think I will let Barlow Girl sum this up for me:
"You're a God who has all things and still You want me... Your love makes me see who I really am."
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