Among Us

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

The Lord your God is with you. He is like a powerful soldier. He will save you. He will show how much He loves you and how happy He is with you. He will laugh and be happy about you. – (Zephaniah 3:17, ERV)

The Eternal your God is standing right here among you, and He is the champion who will rescue you. He will joyfully celebrate over you; He will rest in His love for you; He will joyfully sing because of you like a new husband. – (Zephaniah 3:17, VOICE)

 

I love the Voice translation of this passage, as the word choice speaks so clearly to my heart. As an individual who understands the deep need for every person to have someone willing to fight for them, and the joy of a new husband, God’s promises are an encouragement that stand the test of time. His presence is our comfort, and His love brings peace and joy and calms our fears. Our mighty Savior, who is like a powerful soldier, is our Protector, ever present with us. The idea that He delights over us with joyful songs, is reminiscent of when my babies were young, and how I would delight in them and sing to them and there would be peace among us as we rested. My human experience is but a glimpse in comparison to the depth of love that God has for us. The joy and delight we discover in those whom He blesses us with in our lives are but a preview of all that He has in store for us in heaven. May we fix our eyes and hearts on the Lord who is among us, present to save and rejoice over us.

 

The Lord is with us,

He’s mighty to save;

In love, celebrates,

His grace is displayed.

Each fear shall be calmed,

As in Him, we rest;

For His help and love,

Fill our needs the best.

Imagine the sound,

As the Lord does sing;

With joy over us,

All peace He does bring.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so good. Thank You that You are our Champion, who is willing to fight for us. Thank You that You rejoice over us with singing and calm our fears. Thank You that You are always present. Forgive us for the times that we have allowed our circumstances to interrupt the peace that You offer. Teach us to lean into You at all times, so that we may know Your peace, no matter what comes our way. Show us how to love those around us with Your love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the incredible blessings You bestow upon us with Your love. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Yes, my soul, finds rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – Psalm 62:5

A Loving Warrior

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all Your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

The Lord your God is with you. He is like a powerful soldier. He will save you. He will show how much He loves you and how happy He is with you. He will laugh and be happy about you. – (Zephaniah 3:17, ERV)

Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, MSG)

 

It amazes me how often the verse of the day on my Bible application, is exactly the reminder I need. This morning, as I am on the other side of the mountains from mom and prepare to head back to work for a few days before returning to her after having not set foot in my classroom in nearly three weeks, I am more than a little nervous. Fortunately, I am comfortable about mom because my sister is there with her, and am able to be present with my family at home. Yesterday morning, I actually woke myself up from dreaming, as I had been telling my students about what had happened, and why I had been gone so long. Clearly returning to my classes has weighed heavily on my heart, and the unknown can be a bit of a fearful space. That being said, the past several weeks of my life have been nothing but unknowns. When we first drove to Wenatchee to mom in the hospital, we did not know the shape that she would be in. We knew not what the road to recovery and restoration would have in store, nor the timeline that would be required. Even now, we do not fully know the answers, however, God does. Even in this, we have found joy. There has been laughter, and smiles, gladness and delight. Peace and calm have come when they did not seem possible, and really did not make sense.

Mom continues to work tirelessly in each therapy session, and that which used to be the most frustration for her, is now becoming an area where she is seeing the most rapid growth and gratification. Speech therapy works not only on word recognition, cognition, reading, memory, logic and the like, but they are also working on strengthening her vocal cords. One of the things the stroke affected was the power of mom’s voice. Typically outgoing with a boisterous and jovial voice, the stroke left her quite soft-spoken. Her vocal work in speech therapy is helping her find the power in her voice again. We share many giggles in the process.

In all of this, God is with us, a present, loving warrior, battling on our behalf, loving us through the process as He calms our fears. May we ever trust in the One who delights in us, and listen to the songs He sings over us with joy.

 

The Lord is present,

Ever He is near;

Loving warrior,

We’ve nothing to fear.

With our God for us,

He’ll hold us upright;

Fighting our battles,

All day and all night.

Choose trust in the One,

Whose love grants us peace;

And sings over us,

Delightful release.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being both our loving Savior and mighty Warrior. Thank You that You delight in us and sing over us, granting us peace in our spaces of fear. Forgive us for our fear of the unknown and unexplainable; for You already know the outcome and have a plan and a purpose for all. Teach us to trust the truth of Your word, that Your plans are to prosper and not to harm, to give a hope and a future. Show us how to love those around us well, so that Your loving strength shines through us clearly. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rise up and receive the covering You provide for us in Your strength and love. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Living Among Us

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in You with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

The Lord your God is with you. He is like a powerful soldier. He will save you. He will show how much He loves you and how happy He is with you. He will laugh and be happy about you. – (Zephaniah 3:17, ERV)

The Lord your God is in your midst – a warrior bringing victory. He will create calm with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing. – (Zephaniah 3:17, CEB)

 

This is the exact sort of reminder that many of us need this time of year. In the midst of the busy, crazy, seemingly endless push to the finish, we are not alone. More than that, God is with us and He delights in us. He will bring calm and He rejoices over us with singing. Just as a lullaby soothes the restless soul of a little one, so do the joyful songs of our Heavenly Father as He sings over us. Music can change our entire countenance, and I imagine that when that perfect song comes to mind to lift our mood, it did not drift in on its own. May we ever be open to the One who is among us, as His love brings calm in our chaos while He delights in us with gladness.

 

God is in our midst,

He’s mighty to save;

He delights in us,

And makes our hearts brave.

He calms all our fears,

And sings joyfully;

Victory in love,

To eternity.

So, trust in the Lord,

He is ever near;

Delighting with joy,

And calming each fear.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are not God out there, but You are God living among us, right here. Thank You that You are a Mighty Savior who brings victory. Thank You that You delight in us and show us how much You love us. Thank You that You rejoice over us with singing and calm us with Your love. Thank You that You are the ultimate example of a good Father. Forgive us for not turning to You in trust in our trials. Teach us to trust You more, as You are our help and our hope. Show us how to love those around us in a way that brings calm, comfort and joy, so that they may see Your light within us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise for all of our days for Your presence, help and joy among us. Amen.

 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; …write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

Living Among Us

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

The Lord your God is in your midst – a warrior bringing victory. He will create calm with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing. – (Zephaniah 3:17, CEB)

 

God is not far off and unreachable, He is near – living among us. There is such reassurance in this. Beyond His nearness, He fights for us. The Lord calms our fears with His great love, and He delights in us. It is mind blowing to think that He, the Creator of ALL, would rejoice over us with joyful songs. Despite our doubts, our fears, our brokenness, and our sinfulness – He loves, and He is for us. May we hold fast to the truth of His word, trusting that He is near, He will fight for us, He delights in us, He will calm us with His love, and He will rejoice over us with singing.

 

No matter what comes,

We need never fear;

For the Lord our God,

Is present, so near.

He’s mighty to save,

The battle is His;

He delights in us,

And does what He says.

The Lord will bring calm,

By His love, bring peace;

As His songs resound,

With joyful release.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You live among us. Thank You that You are not God out there, but rather You are as close as our next breath. Thank You that You fight on our behalf, and that You delight in us. Thank You that You calm all of our fears. Thank You that You sing over us with joy. Forgive us for forgetting all of these things, as they are the reassurance that can soothe even the most stirred of souls. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rely on You, as You are for us, and love us through whatever we face. Show us how to love others in the same way, so that Your comfort and calm is extended to those whom we encounter. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we delight in the promise of Your presence, and listen with our hearts for the songs that You sing over us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78

Embracing What Lies Ahead

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a Mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

 

On this day before the beginning of a brand new school year, I am so thankful that God is with us. The things that bring uneasiness and concern, can be placed in His hands, and replaced with joyful anticipation of all that is yet to come. His delight in us fills our hearts and minds with hope for all that will be, and grants us the strength to look forward with joy, as we anticipate all that will be accomplished in the coming year. May we rise up and remember that our Mighty Savior is living among us, and that He delights in us and rejoices over us with songs. Let us embrace all that lies ahead with hope, as we trust in He who is able to make all grace abound.

 

For the Lord our God,

Is living with us;

He’s mighty to save,

All hope in Jesus.

He takes all delight,

In hearts that choose seek;

He calms all our fears,

Gives strength when we’re weak.

And more than that still,

He chooses rejoice;

Over us with songs,

Joy’s His tone of voice. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You live among us and that You are mighty to save. Thank You that You delight in us with gladness. Thank You that with Your love, You calm our every fear. Thank You that You rejoice over us with joyful songs. Forgive us for forgetting how great Your love is for us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love others in a way that brings joy and calms fears, just as You do for us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You with all that we are, and receive all that You give. Let our every word and deed represent You well. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. – 1 Peter 2:19

Mighty Savior

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

The Lord your God is in your midst – a warrior bringing victory. He will create calm with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing. – (Zephaniah 3:17, CEB)

 

The Lord is present and able in our every space of need. He brings victory by His strength, calms our fears with His love, and He rejoices over us with His songs as our mighty Savior delights in us, whom He calls His own. May we look to the Lord, who lives among us, for He is mighty to save. Let us give our every fear unto Him, as He brings calm and He rejoices over us with singing.

 

Wherever you go,

God is with you too;

He’s mighty to save,

And bring peace to you.

His love creates calm,

Where fear used to reign;

Such treasured delight,

Worship-filled domain.

We cannot but help,

Offer thanks and praise;

For all that He gives,

Throughout all our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You live among us and that You are our Mighty Savior. Thank You that You delight in us with gladness, and that You calm all of our fears. Thank You that You rejoice over us with singing. Forgive us for forgetting how very near You are, and for making You less than You are. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek You in all things and at all times, no matter what we see or understand things to be. Show us how to love others in such a way, that they may come to know how deeply loved they are by You through what You grant us to give of ourselves. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You with all that we are and embrace the goodness and grace that You give. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad. – 1 Chronicles 16:31

 

Worship with Gladness

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. – (Psalm 100:2)

 

Worship is our outward expression of our inward appreciation for who God is within us. Thankfully, His nature never changes, thus our praise is not circumstantial. Often, even in the midst of the most difficult seasons that I find myself walking through, if I allow my heart to let go and focus all that I am on worship songs, I end up so caught up in the moment, that I soon discover my heart is overflowing with His joy, as for Him, I have great reason to be glad. No matter what we face in the here and now, our future is certain in Christ. For that alone, we have reason to be glad, and to bring before Him our joyful songs of praise. May we take time each day to worship the One who gives our hearts true gladness, and offer Him the joyful songs waiting to be sung.

 

Let all that we do,

worship Christ the King;

as we bring Him praise,

our glad offering.

Let’s come forth in song,

full of thanks and joy;

with all that we are,

may our hearts employ.

No matter what comes,

Christ is on the throne;

His love will not change,

and our hope is known.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our help and our hope that will not change. Thank You that You are our strength and our song. Thank You that joy is not circumstantial, but rather it is something that is deeply rooted in knowing You, and the hope that we have forever through the grace that we have been given. Forgive us for our failure to worship You with glad and grateful hearts when trials overwhelm us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will offer joyful songs unto You, regardless of what we are going through, because of who You are. Lead us to love others with the sort of love that demonstrates the hope that is found in You alone. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, Lord. Be exalted O God, as we worship You with gladness; and come before You with joyful songs. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

May God Almighty grant you mercy. – Genesis 43:14