his God was pleased with him. He accepted the favor of the God
who was continually drawing him into his presence.
To pray in the assurance of the Father’s love is to know the inner
rest and peace and grace God intends for us to have. It is allowing
the affirming words of God’s acceptance to define and lead us rather
than listening to the condemning words of the world or the enemy.
These words of Zephaniah 3:17 peel back the heart of God’s com-
passion and reveal a deeper level of love and acceptance than we
might ever have imagined: “The LORDyour God is with you, / he is
mighty to save. / He will take great delight in you, / he will quiet you
with his love, / he will rejoice over you with singing.”
In this verse I discover that God is more than “pleased”—he is
“delighted” with me. He is even rejoicing over me with singing.
There is nothing halfhearted in his approval!
What about you? Are you willing today to hear God expressing
his affection for you? He loves you simply because you are his. He
takes great delight in you. Regardless of your own disappointments,
he is rejoicing over you. And he wants you to live out your life in the
joyful awareness of his acceptance.
Lord, I thank you that you are pleased with me and that you love
me. Thank you for David and Zephaniah’s words that let me know
how you feel about me. I choose to live my life in the reality of those
truths. I love you, Lord. Amen.101 MOST POWERFUL PRAYERS IN THE BI BLE 229