One of my favorite rituals is to finish my day with the Lectio 365 devotional. It has become a place of calm, centering, and peace for me before going to sleep. The other night, this verse rang out:
The Lord your God wins victory after victory
and is always with you.
He celebrates and sings because of you,
and he will refresh your life with his love.
Zephaniah 3:17
These past few months have highlighted the weight that I have accumulated in my heart. I have purposely done deep work with the Lord for a variety of circumstances over the years and I am so very grateful for His healing work in my life. Yet, there are some things that just linger. Unfinished. Like an onion, there are layers that need addressed and can only be approached after some time has passed. It isn’t the result of avoidance but more of a timing issue. And recently I have been aware of the layers that are waiting and ready to be peeled back.
After walking with the Lord all these years, I am convinced that He wins victory after victory and is always with me. I have seen too much – logged too many miles with the Lord, peeled too many onions with Him – to not believe that truth! It is the next sentence that caused me to catch my breath: “He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.”
The idea that the God of the universe celebrates and sings because of me was astonishing. Laying in the dark that night, my human mind had a hard time grasping that truth. My inner voice started in with all the disclaimers. But the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let me get derailed. He kept pressing: He celebrates and sings because of you. He celebrates and sings because of you. He CELEBRATES and SINGS because of YOU! These last few days have been spent peeling that onion. One layer at a time. Processing the reality of being so deeply cherished by the Lord that it moves Him to celebrate and sing because of me.
Then, as if to put an exclamation point on the end of that statement, He allowed me to celebrate my birthday yesterday. In all my years, I don’t believe I have ever been as celebrated as I have been this year. Yes, I have been spoiled with gifts and cards, and I have loved each and every one! But it is the words – written and spoken, in person and recorded – that have hit my heart so directly. Words of encouragement. Words of love. Words of appreciation. Words of celebration. Over. Me. I am undone.
Has this reality come home to your heart yet? Have you pondered the gravity of this statement? Have you paused to imagine what it might look and sound like to have Almighty God celebrate and sing because of you? Have you been awestruck at the thought?
I’ll be camping here for a while. Trying to comprehend the enormity of this fact. Peeling back the layers of this love onion. Trying to grasp the next level of truth to the statement that….
You are adored.
You Are Adored 