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God Rejoices Over You
February 12, 2024
by Carrie Zeilstra, COMPEL Training Member

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

A deep sigh escaped my lungs, sounding loud in my dark living room. Why can’t you get it together?

I chided myself with a familiar narrative. You’re such a mess. You didn’t even make your family a decent dinner. The house is cluttered. What is wrong with you?

Tears rolled down my face. I should have been exhausted, but my inner critic kept me awake again.  I cried out, Father, I am always so behind and scattered. I feel like a failure.  In the silence, God reminded me of a Bible verse that a friend had shared with me years earlier. I couldn’t remember all the words. Feeling hopeful, I turned on a lamp, grabbed my Bible, and turned the thin pages until I found it.  “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

A memory flashed across my mind. I was driving, with my toddler in the back seat. In the rearview mirror, I could see my son’s head bobbing side to side as I sang to him. I often sang familiar melodies but replaced the lyrics with his name. My son’s face was lit up with joy, despite the tears on his eyelashes from a tantrum moments earlier. My heart swelled with love.  The picture in my mind shifted. It was the same scene but with God in the driver’s seat, loudly singing a beautiful melody over me. My mind quieted.  I read the verse again and whispered a prayer of gratitude. Thank You that You are in my midst. You sing over me because I am Your child. You rejoice over me with gladness. That night, God’s song drowned out the negative narrative I spoke to myself.  My worth does not lie in check marks on my to-do list or even in how I perceive myself. My weaknesses don’t define me the God of the universe does!  Sometimes my mind is still unkind to my heart. But when I choose to focus on the Lord’s presence, I picture Him singing over me. Singing my name because He knows me. His love song quiets my mind.  God reminds me that even when I am wrestling with my thoughts, I am worth saving. Even when I think I am lacking, I am His child. Even when I can’t see past my shortcomings, He is rejoicing over me in song.  My ears may never hear the notes on this side of eternity, but oh, what a beautiful melody it is.

Belated Happy Birthday middleagedmaninlycra 

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The Name You Call Yourself
February 7, 2024
by Sharon Jaynes

“... Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b (ESV)

I held Harper’s hand as we walked into the restaurant to place our name on the waiting list. Actually, I walked; my 7-year-old grandniece skipped.  I gave the hostess the number in our party, expressed the desire for an outside table, and told her yes, crayons, please. Then the hostess asked my name. I replied, “Sharon.”

Harper quickly corrected me: “No. It’s Aunt Sharon.”

Smiles and giggles went all around. Harper had no idea what was so funny.  All through life, we are known by different names. Some lovely. Some laughable. Some loathsome. Some others call us. Some we call ourselves.  In the Bible, there is a story of a woman named Naomi who changed her name. She and her family left their home in Bethlehem and moved to Moab, but over the next 10 years, her husband and two married sons died. When she decided to return to Bethlehem, only her daughter-in-law Ruth joined her.  Naomi was broken. She must have looked very different as she trudged into town forlorn.  “Is that Naomi?” her friends asked.

She said, “Don’t call me Naomi,” which means “pleasant” in Hebrew. “Call me Mara [bitter], because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me” (Ruth 1:20-21, NIV).

A time or two, I have changed what I call myself according to the circumstances of my life. Failure. Unwanted. Inadequate. Loser. But you know what? None of those names is true. Those are not names God calls me or you.  No matter what’s on your birth certificate, what others have called you, or what you have called yourself, God calls you His dearly loved child. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, He also calls you:

Anointed (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
Appointed (John 15:16).
Accepted (Romans 15:7).

Reconciled (Romans 5:10).
Righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Redeemed (Galatians 3:13).

Forgiven (Ephesians 1:7).
Free (Romans 8:1).
Friend (John 15:15).

Chosen (Ephesians 1:4).
Holy (Colossians 1:22).
Dearly loved (Colossians 3:12).

Justified (Romans 5:9).
Qualified (Colossians 1:12).
Jesus’ bride (2 Corinthians 11:2).

Those are the names we need to remember.  Eventually Ruth married Naomi’s relative Boaz and had a son. Naomi's friends then encouraged her, “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.  He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age” (Ruth 4:14-15a, NIV).

Let’s learn from Naomi that our identity and dignity is given to us by God, our Redeemer. And let's make sure we don’t change what we call ourselves according to ever-changing circumstances. Instead, may we listen to God's voice: “I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

Father, forgive me for seeing myself as less than how You see me. Regardless