Each morning I run past a little pond. Recently a flock of ducks has gathered by that pond and often moves from the pond right in my running path. They stand in the middle of the road, often in the same “V” formation that they fly.  

When I run by I always watch the duck out front. If he stays put, the rest of the ducks stay put. But if, for whatever reason, the lead duck takes off, all the other ducks fly right behind. Interestingly, the whole group keys off the lead duck. The emotions and actions of the one out front are transferred to those who follow.

So here’s the question: In a world changed by 9-11, economic uncertainty, a roller coaster stock market, unfathomable national debt, congressional disunity, governments being overthrown around the world — in a world of fear, instability, chaos, change, and uncertainty — how do pastors, the lead ducks, stay calm and demonstrate confidence. How can we make sure we are transferring the right emotions and actions to those who follow?

Let me answer that question with one of my favorite verses.

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.  Zephaniah 3:17 

The Lord your God is with you…

This verse begins with God’s ministry of presence. Wherever we are; God is. When our heart is beating fast with anxiety or heavy with grief, we can stand before our congregations knowing that the omnipresent God is with us. He will never leave nor forsake us. We never lead alone.   

He is mighty to save.

God ministers to us with his power. He can handle any problem we face. Nothing is impossible with him. He will provide everything we need to do whatever he has called you to do. 

He will take great delight in you…

My wife, Lori, and I, have four children and we take great delight in them. Emotion comes when I think of my children. I take great delight in them. And I am moved when I read that God takes great delight in me. He sent his son to die for me. He loves me with an everlasting love. Nothing can separate me from his love.  

What a truth! God delights in me with all our imperfection, twisted thinking, with my wicked and deceitful heart. God delights in me even when my sermon wasn’t all that good, even when several people told me my sermon wasn’t all that good. The Father takes great delight in me!  That truth blows me away.

He will quiet you with his love…

The Hebrew word translated “quiet” means to be silent and speechless. When we understand the great love God has for us it leaves us speechless.

I love this old hymn by Stuart Townsend. Check out these lyrics.

God quiets me with his love. In fact, his deep love leaves me speechless.

He will rejoice over you with singing.

This sounds kind of backwards to me. I sing praises to God and rejoice in him with singing. But here I see that the eternal God rejoices over me with singing. I have never thought of God singing. I should have…because Jesus sang…but the thought humbles me. God sings about me! He celebrates the fact that I belong to him.

Okay, all you lead ducks. You are the ones God has chosen to be out front. Sure there are days you may not feel like being out front. But remember, your emotions and actions are transferred to those who follow. So here is a verse not to preach but to practice. Let it but penetrate your heart.

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.   Zephaniah 3:17

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