7.7.2026 - Jody Duncan

Tuesday, July 7

Zephaniah 3:17

God’s love is joyful

We read today from Zephaniah 3:17. Read the passage now or at the end of this devotion. What does this verse teach us about the joy God takes in his children?

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that when I explored this verse for today’s devotion, my first thought was, “Who the heck is Zephaniah?” I had no memory of that book of the bible. I had no idea who he was or where he fit into God’s Word.

Zephaniah, I learned, was an Old Testament prophet who warned the people of Judah that they would be severely punished for their corruption and idolatry. Despite his judgments and dire prophesies, however, Zephaniah ends his book with a hopeful, messianic message of God restoring the world.

This verse offers the vision of a joyful God, a God who delights in us, who rejoices in us with singing.

God rejoicing and singing – what a lovely thought! So often, God is depicted as a grim or even angry figure. If that’s the image of God people hold in their minds, no wonder so many turn away from him.

But Zephaniah offers a picture of God as a joyful singer of songs.

As he would be the first to admit, our worship leader, Jeff Mercer, is a long way from the Almighty – but he is the very picture of a joyful singer of songs. We are blessed, as members of The River, to participate in that joy every week.

Concerned as we may be about our sins and God’s judgment on us, perhaps Christians would be well served if we stopped to consider God as a joyful father.

I was lucky in that I had a joyful earth father. I know many did not. But my father laughed and teased and did a little dance as he stood at the open fridge, looking for something to eat. When I was 16 years old, I left for a trip 600 miles from home, and accidentally took his key ring, complete with keys to every building at the junior high school where he was a vice principal. Rather than get angry and yell at me, he sent me the funniest letter jokingly threatening to rent out my room if I didn’t send back his keys immediately.

I have many photographs of us laughing together. It’s a treasured image I hold in my heart even now, 52 years after his death.

I wonder if I’ve ever done God the honor of thinking of him as a joyful spiritual father. If I have, it has been a rare occurrence.

Sin, repentance, serious reflection of our many failings – all are elements of walking a true walk with Jesus. But so, too, is joy. I’m reminded of this every month when I meet with my small group. We talk and pray and break bread together, but mostly we laugh – oh, my goodness, do we laugh! Our small group meetings are so fun and boisterous, I won’t be surprised if cops must be called someday to break up the mayhem.

 It is a joyful group, despite health issues and worries about kids and all the other things life throws at us. Our small group is a happy bunch, and when we demonstrate that joy out in the wider world, we are witnessing for the love of God the Father and his Son, Jesus.

Let us proselytize our Christianity today by being joyful, by acting as true reflections of our Father in heaven who rejoices over us with singing!