God's Contentment

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” (Zep 3:17 AV)

 

Something we must never forget!  We understand this promise is made to Israel and applies more to the time of their restoration under the rule of the Messiah.  But in general, it applies to all the saints of God.  God has not changed.  He is always what He always was and will be.  His heart has always been the same.  His interest in, and love towards, all those who call upon His name has never wavered.  There may be times He asks us to go through trials and troubles, but His love has not changed.  There may be times He requires we undergo correction, but that correction is an extension of His love.  The result is God singing.  Can you imagine?  The voice of God signing with the love and joy He has for His people.  What a sight!  We want to meditate upon His love.  More specifically, that He rests in it.

The Hebrew word for ‘rest’ is a very interesting one.  Because it is, many writers either avoid it, or have a variety of meanings for this word.  I think John Gill has the best explanation.  The word means to engrave.  The word also means to be silent.  To put it another way, the word means to be permanently (engraved) content (silent) in His love for His people.  The silence is not verbal or oral silence.  Obviously, the LORD sings with joy.  So, this silence is an attitude of heart that is content in His love for His people and ceases to exercise any conflicting emotions towards them.  In context, Zephaniah is referring to the restoration of Israel.  All correction is over.  All wars against the enemies of God cease.  The millennial reign of Christ will be peace and love between God and those who have put their trust in Him.  Nothing else competes with this love. 

Secluded vacations with your spouse are the bee’s knees.  They are the best.  Recently, I was asked about my dream vacation.  We talked about a cruise.  We talked about a site seeing trips like going out west to see the Grand Canyon or Yosemite.  We talked about revisiting Ireland.  We also entertained an adventure-type vacation like camping, fishing, or hunting.  All of this sounds great.  I wouldn’t turn down any of them.  But the one vacation that is dearest to my heart is a secluded island where the amenities were so far removed from where we were staying that bumping into other people would be extremely rare.  It would be a single-use bungalow on a secluded beach with no direct line of sight to another bungalow.  This beach would be totally ours.  That is right.  I would want my love to be with me.  Just me and her.  No one or nothing else.  No TV, no phones, no computers.  Just her and I alone with nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no one to see.  I want to rest in my love.  That is the ultimate vacation. 

 This is what God desires of us.  To have no other distractions between He and His people.  He will rest in His love.  In a world full of hate, distrust, victimization, and selfishness, it is hard to conceive of someone who desires to be content with nothing more than to love us.  We are accustomed to thinking love comes with obligation.  We are used to demands in exchange for love.  We are not used to someone loving us and being perfectly content in that love.  We are simply one of many things or people others love.  Not the sole love of Another’s heart.  Not with God!  He rests in His love.  He is perfectly content in showering us with love and nothing competes with that love.  He rests in His love!