“Yahweh you 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.” Zephaniah 3:17

I remember sitting in a chapel in the mountains during a High School Bible camp weekend, not a lot of Bible knowledge or experience with Christianity – not sure I even had a Bible yet – and learning this verse. It was the verse of the weekend. I have no recollection of what message was being conveyed, or much of anything else about that trip (hmm, was that the one where we broke down on the highway and sat for hours waiting for a new van, while I braided my friend’s hair?), but I remember learning that verse.

This morning, God dropped me into Zechariah for my reading. I’m glad He did. And I’m glad for the memory. More than that, I’m glad for the reminder.

God is among you and He is a warrior! Oh, but not just any warrior. He’s a warrior who saves.

When I think of a warrior, I think:

• Strength
• Fighter
• Defender
• Bold
• Aggressive
• Destruction
• Protector
• Passion

A warrior is there to battle and tear down oppression, while protecting others. God does that. But God is more than all that. He’s a warrior who saves.

I love the analogy. Battles destroy. It’s an inherent outcome. And we see that in Jesus, too. Oh, I know, “warrior” is not the typical persona we ascribe to Jesus. He gets more of the: gentle, kind, quiet, mild, and peaceful. But make no mistake, friends, Jesus is a warrior.

As a warrior he was:

• pursued
• beaten and bruised
• pierced
• cast down into Sheol

And as a warrior he:

• tore down the temple
• conquered Sheol
• returned, transformed
• He saves

God knows, sometimes you’ve got to make a bigger mess, tear things down, in order to build up better and bring order.

He’s the warrior who saves.

Friends, there is no one greater, or more worthy of your trust and devotion than God. There is no one more reliable than our Savior. There is no defender more gentle and fierce than our Lord. We all need a warrior on our side. And we all absolutely need a savior. How amazingly encouraging and fulfilling that we have both in Jesus.

Surrender to Him and let Him rejoice over you with gladness and bring you quietness with His love. Let Him delight in you and cover you with His joy.

Be comforted and draw strength from knowing the best and greatest warrior ever – Yahweh!

#loveonpurpose #liveyourfaithboldly