What’s your concept of God? When you pray, ‘Our Father,’ what do you see? Do you see a parent who abandoned you, abused you, or abdicated their responsibility to you? Do you think of an angry father who accused but never affirmed you; in other words, a God waiting to zap you each time you do wrong? If so, you need to change your concept of God. The Bible says: ‘The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing’ (v. 17 NKJV). Let’s break this Scripture down: 1) ‘The Lord your God in your midst.’ He is not a distant deity, but an up-close-and-personal Father who loves His redeemed children dearly. 2) ‘The Mighty One, will save.’ When you consider the word ‘mighty’, think of Hercules a billion times over and you still won’t even be close. Today you may be weak, but He is strong. Your sins may be great, but His saving grace is greater (see Romans 5:20). 3) ‘He will rejoice over you with gladness.’ Every time God looks at you, He smiles and rejoices. You make His heart glad. Did you know that? 4) ‘He will quiet you with His love.’ Ever watch a mother holding a crying baby and saying, ‘Shush, shush, it’s okay, I’m here, I love you.’ The baby is comforted, feels secure, and goes to sleep. That’s what God does for us. 5) ‘He will rejoice over you with singing.’ God sings! What does He sing about? You! It’s time to change your concept of God!
