The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one to save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love. – Zephaniah 3:17

Scripture reading: Zephaniah 3

Our journey through the seven deadly sins should move us to a more serious understanding of the deceptive nature of sin and our own hearts. We are never safe from its clutches, we can never rest, the devil is always out to destroy us and our witness, and we never graduate from the school of grace as long as we are in this broken world.

Lord’s Day 44 of the Heidelberg Catechism includes this line:

“While praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, we [must] never stop striving to be renewed more and more after God’s image…”

This work of renewal is the work of the Triune God. Behind it we experience the presence of our Heavenly Father, in our midst, mighty to save. We know the love of Jesus Christ, rejoicing over us with gladness, quieting us by His love. We feel the inward strivings of the Spirit, purifying our hearts and minds. But in response to all this good news, and in His strength, we strive and we purpose to live a life of holiness.

Christian, weep and lament – and at the same time, laugh and rejoice. Grace is always good.

Suggestions for prayer

“Let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty, Thy glory in my valley.” – The Valley of Vision: Intro Prayer

This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA.