Think with me of a contrast:
1) What is something that really gets on your nerves? 2) What is something that brings you delight? Here’s an example of the first: I had a cat once who got annoyed anytime I sang or played my harmonica. She would come out and loudly meow at me, as if to say, “Stop it! It’s bad!” If I didn’t stop she would sharpen her claws on my pants legs. She made it clear I was getting on her nerves. For an example of the second, I’ve seen grandparents take extreme delight in their grandchildren. I remember visiting a Sunday school class when I was in college. A longtime member of that class had pictures of her newest granddaughter who had just been born. She was beaming as she was passing them around. I remember her saying, with only a little bit of sarcasm: “You all have grandchildren too, but this one is special.” I suppose that’s the inherent bias of all grandparents: It’s of perspective of delight. Keeping all this in mind, it’s interesting to see how the Bible challenges us to think of ways that we get on God’s nerves, and how it helps us to see God’s delight as well. In Malachi 2:17 (in the last book of the Old Testament) the prophet was inspired by God to tell the people that they were getting on God’s nerves: “You have wearied the Lord with your words.” This leads to the question of which words, so Malachi clarified: “By saying, ‘All who do evil are good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.’ Or by asking, ‘Where is the God of justice?’” So it was moral confusion and functional atheism – i.e. living as if God didn’t really matter. The preacher’s job is safe if all you say is that you’re for God and against sin. It becomes more dangerous when you start to name specific sins that people are doing. Malachi didn’t play it safe. In Malachi 3:5 he got into specifics. These are sins that get on God’s nerves…
All of these are things that get on God’s nerves. The list isn’t exhaustive. Can you think of ways you’ve got on God’s nerves? If you can, remember this: There’s grace for those who repent. Jesus died for our sins and offers forgiveness. This is a confidence we hold high when we pray each week: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12). God’s grace draws from His love, which points to His delight in us. A good passage to look at here is Zephaniah 3:14-18a. It’s a larger exhortation that, interestingly, began with a command to sing. It was given in dark times that were conducive to despair (circa 625 B.C. or so). Despair is something that can hold you down, but singing can be a counterforce. It’s an act of protest and rebellion against the despair. This is why Christians and Jews have been singing through the ages when they’ve been suffering. The other command (in Zephaniah 3:16) is to not be afraid. This comes from the sense of trust in God’s power to bring deliverance. Whatever it is we have to go through, however big the obstacle or challenge – we know that we have a bigger God. Our human vulnerability is highlighted (with the phrase “daughter of Zion” in 3:14), along with God’s presence (in 3:15) and His power (in 3:17. It famously says He is “mighty to save” in one popular translation.) God’s power and presence would be intimidating by itself, but God wants us to love Him – not to be scared of Him. So Zephaniah teaches about God’s delight in 3:17-18: “…he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.” Clearly God takes a delight in His people, much like most parents do with their children. Maybe this is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray to God as a Father (in Matthew 6:9 and Luke 11:2). We Christians invariably see all of this through the lens of Jesus Christ, who fulfills all the Old Testament promises. It began when He arrived in His first advent – when He was born in Bethlehem and lain in a manger. It will be completed in His second advent when He returns in triumphant glory. This is why Zephaniah’s prophecy about God’s regathering of the whole family together at the end (in Zephaniah 3:18-20) sounds so much like the descriptions Jesus gave of eternal life. It’s like a big feast where everyone’s invited (Luke 14:15-24). So we can imagine a big meal where we all delight in God and the company of each other. Maybe there will even be singing? Maybe it will sound good to the cats that are there too? God bless you, Andrew McHenry, Pastor First Congregational Church of Oroville
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Andrew McHenryI am a husband, a Congregational pastor, and a native Kansan currently living in Thermalito, California. In the past I have also been a prison chaplain and a youth pastor. Interests include reading, railroads, prog rock, KU, and the KC Royals. Archives
March 2024
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