"Moving Through"

In the Old Testament book of Zephaniah our Father is painted in a very strange brush stroke. In Chapter 3 verse 17 God is said to be “rejoicing over you with singing.” If you look at the Hebrew word Giyl our translation has left much to be desired. The literal translation of Giyl is “to spin around violently with emotion (usually joy)” Our view of God is always justified when thinking of him in Majesty, in Awe and Holiness. We see Him as Rock, Fortress, Father, Redeemer and many other things. But Spinning Wildly? The picture I get in my head is that of a little kid spinning in a field looking up at the sky. Dizziness, giddiness, child-likeness? These are not things associated with God in my mind. Frankly it is hard to get to this place in my mind much less my heart. I just don’t get it. Most of us find it hard to truly take a compliment. “Good job” often is met with a look towards the ground more than met with gaze. “Wow that is a really beautiful painting” is just as likely to be replied to with “well, it’s just...” Most of us, if pushed, would admit that we feel awkward being the center of attention at our own birthday party. So how are we to feel comfortable with a Holy God who would be so excited about our existence in this world?

This view of our Holy God really causes me to wrestle with the pain, loss and brokenness that accompanies most of our stories. It is simply confusing. This particular scripture is speaking to Israel coming out of a period of trial, not a period of blessing and growth. And He is spinning wildly? Excited beyond just mere words? Giddy about the terrible trial that they just came through? So admittedly it takes a rabbit trail for one to make sense out of all of this. We were created to become more and more like Christ and I believe for this to happen we must endure things that bring glory to our Father. Our stories are often as tumultuous as that of Israel and I don’t think this is an accident. Our lives, our stories, our hearts were designed to call others to find Rest in the One who would love us the most. The problem with this is that we tend to edit out pain, loss and suffering from our stories. Our stories become mundane narratives that are in no need of a God who rescues or redeems much less of a God who would spin wildly over our coming through trials transformed.

to wrestle with a God who not only allows suffering in our stories, but rejoices over our coming through those dark places.