Remembering the Presence of God

It was one of those moments one only sees on TV or in the movies.  I had just completed a minor repair at home in the presence of my daughter and 3 year old grand-daughter.  My daughter exclaimed: “Yeah! Grandpa fixed it!” What followed was music that still rings in my ears:

“Grampa! Grampa! Grampa! Grampa!” the victory chant came from my granddaughter.  I felt loved, celebrated and important and it was just a minor repair.

It has been quite a while since I have written an installment of Following Christ.  There are lots of excuses that could be given but they are merely excuses.  The bottom line, if I can be so candid, is that I really wondered if it was worth the effort each week.  As soon as I started down the path of doubt it was as they say “a slippery slope.”  I convinced myself that this installment was just something for me and was really not making an impact.  So it was easy to let one week slip into another and I got out of the habit and quit putting in the time.

Then came the chant from my grand-daughter and after that the gentle and quiet voice of the Holy Spirit reminding me that I serve a God who also celebrates my efforts for Him, no matter how small, when they are done out of a heart of love and devotion to Him.

I was reminded by God of a verse tucked into a brief prophecy in the Old Testament.  It reads:

The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

but will rejoice over you with singing. 

Zephaniah 3:17

Zephaniah was a prophet used by God to deliver a message of impending judgment to God’s people for their sin.  And yet at the end of this prophecy he reminds us that God takes delight in those who humbly trust and obey Him.

Let that soak in. God is greatly pleased when  we obey him and serve him.  It matters not how great the task.  The fact is that anything you or I do for God is seen by him and he celebrates our efforts.  He stands with you, he loves you and he rejoices over you with singing.

I had forgotten that reality and it took the chanting of a 3 year old to point me back to God.

Part of following Christ is remembering that  I am always in his presence and he is always pleased with me when I am obedient.  What may seem insignificant on earth, when done in love and obedience is the source of the Lord singing over you in heaven.