Unforgettable Love

Monday would have been my dad's 94th birthday. People often mark a loved one's birthday with statements like that, and I always wonder when they're going to stop counting. "Today would have been Cousin Tito's 127th birthday. Well, if he'd made it past forty-eight." But, I guess when it's someone you love, you never stop counting. Dad and I may not have been close, but he was my dad. I don't think July 26th will ever pass without me thinking about him (although, at some point, I'll probably stop thinking about which birthday it would have been).

Do you remember your ex-girlfriend's birthday? Do you remember the day you started that job you've been looking to quit? Do you remember the phone number of your childhood home? We remember all sorts of details and milestones --even the ones attached to things that took a turn for the worst. Some memories become a part of you whether you try or not, whether they're still useful or not. 

Zephaniah 3:17 says,

"The Lord your God is with you,

    the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

    but will rejoice over you with singing.

Israel had forsaken Jehovah. They had not kept His commandments, they worshipped pagan gods, and they murdered prophets sent by God to warn them their rebellion would have consequences. But God was unwilling to give up on them completely. He had pledged Himself to them and He would not forget. 

Often times verses like this provide us with comfort. We think to ourselves, "Oh, I'm so special! God takes delight in me. He forgives me." And He does, but for the moment, take a look at this verse, and notice what it says about God. He is relentless in the pursuit of maintaining His reputation. He is determined to do what He says He will do. He saves, He delights, He forgives, and He rejoices over people who do not deserve it. Not because He can't help Himself; not because He has fallen into some sort of habit of remembrance. He does not want to forget. It is out of the goodness and grace of His character, He does what He does. He went to great lengths to restore His relationship with mankind; lengths that led to giving His only Son up to death as a substitute for us. 

That's a love we should never forget.