The Roar of the Crowd

The game is on the line. It’s fourth and goal inside the five-yard-line. The quarterback takes the snap, fakes a run to the fullback, looks up, and passes the ball to the tight end for a game-winning touchdown! The home crowd erupts as one, the cheers heard inside and outside the stadium in thunderous applause. The shout of victory. What an amazing sound.

The Bible describes God’s cheers for us in a similar way. But His applause for us goes much, much deeper, and His role in our victories is much more involved than just cheering for us.

“The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy.” (‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ HCSB)

Notice in this verse:

1. The Lord is with you. He is not distant. He is near. He is “among you,” according to Zephaniah 3:17.
2. The Lord is described as a warrior. He fights against our enemies — enemies such as doubt, disease, depression, temptation, and fear.
3. The Lord is a warrior who saves. He has both the power to save and the will to save us. We are eternally wise to depend on Him to be our Savior.
4. The Lord rejoices over us. He cheers loudly for us. We hear him in our mind and in our heart, in our very soul. And when we hear Him, we hear overwhelming shouts of joy.
5. The Lord brings you the quietness of His love. This is the full satisfaction of knowing you are right where you need to be, doing exactly what you were created to do, fully aware of God’s presence in your life. The peace, fullness and love that you feel is beyond what words can express.

Athletes talk about how in the middle of a game-winning score, even with the roar of 50,000+ people cheering wildly, there is almost a silence in their ears. The moment is so precious, the thrill of victory so sweet, that the shouts of joy give them an adrenaline rush they can’t describe and a peace and calmness of a job well done.

The experience for the athletes is temporary. It will wear off. But for those who have a personal relationship with the Lord of the universe, the roar of the crowd never has to end, as God continually fights for you and wills you to victory, and erupts with shouts of joy. The “crowd” cheering for you is the the three-in-one God: your Heavenly Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

Take a moment today and reflect on all that it means…

• the Lord is with you
• the Lord is your Warrior
• the Lord is your Savior
• the Lord rejoices over you
• the Lord fills you with His love

Wow. The roar of the crowd. The crowd of One. Listen for the shout of the Lord today.