God rejoices over ME with Singing!

Did you KNOW that God loves you so very much that "He will rejoice over you with joyful songs"?!  We all know that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16) and we believe it.  It is the verse that draws us when we first accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

Over the years, though, I have found myself saying the words of John 3:16 from rote/memory rather than from my heart.  I believe them in head; I know them like the back of my hand, but sadly, they no longer have the power to stir my heart and soul as they did in the early years of my life as a Christian.  I can't help but wonder if I am not the only one.....

As I have been reading my Bible and studying JOY over the past few years, Zephaniah 3:17 has become a verse that has hit my heart in the same way that John 3:16 did when I first accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior.  I needed this verse and the Lord showed it to me at just the right time.

It's powerful knowing that God loved me so much--even though I hadn't even been born, let alone thought of yet--that He sent His only Son to die a horrific death just so I could live eternally with Him in Eternity.  But now that years have gone by and I have suffered and struggled and dealt with deep depression, it is powerful to be reminded that He loves me so much that "He takes delight in me with gladness" and "He will rejoice over me with joyful songs"!  

Do you get that?!  Do you realize that means that God Himself sings for JOY when He sees me?  When He thinks of me??  

Wow.  

I listen a lot to Dr. Gary Smalley.  Many years ago, I watched his video on Hidden Keys to Love where he talks about Honor.  He brings out a Stradivarius violin and the whole audience gasps in awe.  He goes on to talk about that is how we should be when our Beloved (our loved ones) walk into a room.  I've always remembered that and I've always loved it when someone gets excited that I walked into a room.  It doesn't happen very often, but I admit that the few times that it has happened have been pretty awesome.

Do you GET that God gasps in awe EVERY single time He thinks of you?!  So much so that He even SINGS JOYFUL Songs as He rejoices over you?!  Hahahaha!!!  That is SO cool!!!  God doesn't sing about my sadness, depression, failures, sorrows, pains, ugliness, or even my anger.  He simply sings JOYFUL songs over me!!!!  

That makes me smile!  It makes me laugh!  It makes me want to sing right back to Him with love and Joy!  Someone loves me so much that He sings with Joy over me!  

Have you ever felt the joy of seeing someone you love only to met with a feeling that the loved one is not as happy to see you as you are to see him/her?  It's a horrible feeling.  It only takes once or twice before we no longer want to be around that loved one any longer and only once or twice more before we find excuses not to have to be around that no-longer-loved-one any longer.

But when our loved ones receive us with a smile on their faces and obvious joy, we reciprocate!  We know we are loved and we love in return--fully and completely!  It is difficult, if not impossible, to love someone who doesn't APPEAR to love us in return.

God is ALWAYS filled with JOY when we come into His presence....when we spend time with Him!  We can ALWAYS run to Him knowing that He will receive us with open arms full of love and JOY!  Best of all, He loves me so much, He sings with JOY over me!

Hallelujah!  JUMOY!!!  (Jump for JOY!)