Mary Ann Rowan PPP Columnist “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; The labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food… yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength.” Hab. 3:17, 18 There are scriptures that reveal God is a God who rejoices. For example, Zeph. 3: 17, “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.” It may surprise you to know that word rejoice here has the meaning of to spin around under the influence of any violent emotion, be glad, joyful, rejoice. Give you a different view of God? David was said to be a man after God's own heart. “Then David spoke to the elders of the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and symbols by raising the voice with resounding joy.” 1 Chron. 15:1 “Rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy all you upright in heart!” Ps. 32:11 I challenge anyone reading this to check through the Psalms and make note how many times the words joy and rejoicing show up in the writings. Sometimes, however, when Israel fell out of fellowship with their God, Isaiah 9:17 says, “Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men nor mercy on their fatherless and with us for everyone is a hypocrite and evil doer and every mouth speaks folly." (Continued next week.)
