Winter Fire – Everlasting Father - Monday
Today’s Verse
Zephaniah 3:17a
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you…(NIV)
Ten days from the day I write this, my daughter will come home from college for Christmas. She attends Asbury, so she’s not far away. But I don’t get to spend much time with her. We’re both always running in opposite directions and when she does come home, it’s usually only for a couple hours. When she comes home for Christmas, though, she’s home for an extended time. One of the things I’m most looking forward to is having her snuggle up next to me on the couch while we watch whatever is playing on TV. (Probably White Christmas…one of her favorite Christmas movies.) The joy that brings me as a father can’t be expressed by any word other than “delight.” When I think of the Lord taking great delight in me, this is what I envision. There’s nothing that brings me greater joy and delight than just being with my family.
Too often, we get lost in the business of serving our Everlasting Father. We try to follow His direction. We try to do the right things. We try to follow His calling on our lives. We try to live out the examples laid out for us in the Scripture. And while all of those are great things, too often we lose sight of what He wants. He wants YOU. Spiritually speaking, He simply wants you to snuggle up next to Him and be with Him.
This Christmas season, take notice of what brings you joy. Chances are, it’s not the gifts, or the parties, or the decorations. It’s the relationships. It’s friends and family. Let that be a daily reminder that God delights in you and simply wants to be with you.
REFLECTION
Take time today to simply be with your Everlasting Father. Talk to Him. Tell Him about your day, what excites you, what you’re worried about. Just spend time with Him and allow His delight in you to wash over you!