I’ve talked about God’s emotions toward His people before, but I’ve been inspired to revisit it again based on what I just read in the book of Zephaniah (yes, one of the minor prophets). It is important for us to understand and remember how much we mean to God and how eager He is to see us. Let’s talk a little about what we can expect in the future because of God’s amazing love for believers in His Son Jesus Christ.
We all understand that God has a wonderful place waiting for us in eternity but you may forget that He takes great joy in you:
17 “For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind. 18 Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people. (Isa 65:17-19)
Don’t forget that you make God happy and give Him joy. He chose you to be His and was willing to give Himself up to save you. He didn’t do it out of a sense of obligation but because He wants you to be with Him. Let’s see how much God desires your company by looking at some scenes in Scripture.
Consider your situation right now. You are on earth and God is in Heaven waiting for your arrival. Although you’re already saved, you are like the ‘prodigal son’ who repented and is making his way back to the father … you are in-route to Him in heaven. Look at this scene from the prodigal son account:
20 So he (the prodigal) got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion … (Lk 15:20)
The prodigal’s dad was waiting and watching for his child to come home. He was so eager and attentive that when the young man was far off, the dad saw him. This is an image of God welcoming YOU home. Understand that God is in Heaven waiting your arrival just like the prodigal son’s father. He knows you’re coming and is eagerly waiting to greet you. Look at this:
16 On that day … 17 Yahweh your God … will rejoice over you with gladness .. He will delight in you with shouts of joy. (Zeph 3:16-17)
God will rejoice when you arrive in Heaven to see Him because He delights in you. He will shout for joy when you are united with Him. Rejoice in this passage means He will have raw uncontained joy, be ecstatic, and feel like leaping because you are with Him. That is how God will feel and react to you when He sees you! Yes, God is going to rejoice in you!
When you meet Him, God will throw His arms around you in a tender, loving, and comforting ‘welcome home’ hug.
20 So he (the prodigal) got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. (Lk 15:20)
This is not just a hug. This is a hug from God Himself who loved you so much that He gave everything for you to be with Him. It is your Father pouring out His happiness, love, and affection for you in that moment to comfort you.
16 On that day … 17 Yahweh your God … will bring you quietness with His love. (Zeph 3:16-17)
This is not just a hug. It is a deep and profound moment in your inner being. It will be a hug like a mother full of warmth, love, and comfort for a child who has just gone through a lot of turmoil. It will be tender, quiet, comforting, soothing, welcoming, settling, and safe. In that moment your spirit will find quietness from the turmoils of this world and for the first time ever, you will have deep peace. You will experience His perfect love for the first time. In that moment, you will be loved and comforted like never before:
As a mother comforts her son, so I will comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem. (Isa 66:13)
As you settle into His loving arms with your face buried in His chest, He will tenderly wipe away your last tear:
3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Rev 21:3-4)
He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. (Isa 25:8)
For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; He will guide them to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Rev 7:17)
Being home and settled down in His love, you will then rejoice in your new home and all the joys it has to offer.
14 Sing for joy, Daughter Zion; shout loudly, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has removed your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you; you need no longer fear harm. 16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, do not let your hands grow weak. 17 Yahweh your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy.” (Zeph 3:14-17)
You will enjoy being in God’s company forever, enjoy having your punishment removed, enjoy that your enemies are gone, that you have nothing to fear and will not be weak just to name a few things. Then the most amazing thing will happen, in my opinion:
37 Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them. (Lk 12:37)
God Himself will have you recline at the table while He serves you! How can it be that God Almighty and my Lord Savior and King will serve me! I cannot comprehend it. I suppose though as I think about it, God is the One who is serving me now and has been all the days of my life. He is the One giving me health, food, air to breathe, water to drink, a wife to love me, comfort, peace, joy, and so on. But there’s something powerful about the scene above. I just can’t wrap my mind around sitting at a table while GOD serves me!
God Almighty loves you more than you can understand now. Rejoice in Him. Think about your home coming and how God will welcome you into His glory. Meditate on your homecoming and being welcomed so wonderfully by God into Heaven.
Think about it
When you picture God looking at you right now, what expression is on His face? How does Zephaniah’s description of God “leaping with raw, uncontained joy” change your thinking?
Do you view your walk to meet God as heading toward a strict evaluation or to a parent running down the driveway with a big smile to greet you?
Why do you think it is so difficult to accept that God doesn’t just tolerate or forgive us, but actually delights in us with ecstatic joy?
Do you have a specific weight, anxiety, or trial you are carrying right now that you cannot wait to feel dissolve away in God’s maternal, comforting hug?
What does God wiping away your tears instead say about how He values your earthly pain?
When you imagine burying your face into His chest, what earthly regrets or shames do you think will finally lose their power over you forever?
What does God putting on a servant’s apron to serve you say about His nature, humility, and love?
If God is already serving us daily (giving us breath, food, comfort, and peace), why does the scene of Him physically serving us at the heavenly table shock our system so much? What makes that specific imagery so overwhelming?
How does knowing that Jesus plans to serve you in eternity change the way you choose to serve others right now on earth?
