This is an amazing verse! It is the only verse in Scripture in which God is described as singing. What is even more amazing is that God is described in maternal terms. He is like a mother cooing and singing with love over the baby in her arms.

In Zephaniah God foretells the disaster that is about to overcome His people because of their arrogance and rebellion. Yet later in the same book, in 3:17 He manifests his love. Despite this rejection by His children, He paints this picture of, on the one hand, a warrior who will ride in the like the cavalry to save them, and in a contrasting image, one of pure maternal love.

The second image is one we often associate with Mary and Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem – motherly love and adoration with her new born baby, quietly singing songs of rapture and joy. (The irony, of course, is that in Bethlehem it is humanity holding God in her hands!)

Two final thoughts: Note God’s delight. Like a doting mother He doesn’t just tolerate us, but He delights in us. He enjoys calling us His children. We see the motivation for sending Jesus to the cross on our behalf. The other, He rejoices. In other words He celebrates the fact that we are His children. There are echoes here of the future parable of the father of the prodigal son.

So today as you live before and worship your Creator and re- Creator, know and delight in the truth that to Him you are like a baby in His arms – someone to celebrate.

Some further thoughts on Jesus’ calling of his disciples

Matt 4:18-22

I have always been amazed at the swiftness with which Peter, Andrew, James and John responded to Jesus’ call. O.k. it was Spirit inspired, but from a human perspective it was an amazing human decision. One, frankly, that I envy.

The irony that I find in my life is that the “faith” decision has never seemed difficult. Partly, I believe, because my parents and theirs had walked the same path. It was the “normal” path to follow. It was path that grew from a very age. Faith, worldview, ethics and the like have been, on the whole, the “easy ” decisions.

The choices I find difficult are the day to day choices. What calling should I (have) follow(ed), what decision should I make about both important life choices and minor ones. It is these I find that leave me to-ing and fro-ing. There are no snap decisions here!

However the joy is, whatever decision I make in the latter category, it is the first, faith, that gives me a comfort and calmness, that no matter what choices I make, God is always in control.

Still, I envy Peter’s ability to make a life changing, career changing, snap decision!

As parents and teachers we often try to instill self esteem in our children. “You are valuable”, “Your are unique”, “You are special” and so on. And there is some truth to each of these. However, to a large degree they are only half truths and these half truths can be dangerous because they can feed our human arrogance and self obsession that already dominates our age. Just note all the advertisements that push the idea that “You are the most important person in the world.” This goes directly against the Christian message of “loving the other” and service; agape love.

If you search the Scriptures for the phrase “in Christ” it becomes obvious that the apostle Paul uses this extensively. For example in Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Paul tells us that our esteem comes not from self but from faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The value we have as human beings is directly linked to the being and actions of Christ. He is the foundation of our value and purpose as a human being.

So when we tell our children they are special we should not leave out the foundation of that    value. It is Jesus who paid for us and redeemed us. Or to put it more bluntly, esteem outside of Christ is self delusion.