To celebrate the start of summer, I recently got to spend some time on my parents’ small cattle farm in the countryside. It’s one of the most peaceful places on earth—exactly what a teacher who’s overstimulated from all the end-of-school chaos could hope for!
Peace and Purpose on the Farm
Their house sits on a hill that overlooks an orchard, a vineyard, a chicken coop, and four pastures—two of which have ponds! The ponds were an addition a few years back, and now the fish have grown large enough to put up a fight and fill a table. And that meant that my daddy and I got to go fishing, one of our favorite father-daughter traditions.
We started the evening after I arrived. The weather was perfect and the sunset was radiant, but the fish weren’t quite as active as we had hoped. After a couple of hours working both ponds, we returned home with three fish—albeit very large ones. But with the hope of having a fish fry for our family gathering, we needed more.
A Morning Fishing Trip and a Special Invitation
That fact, combined with my recent discovery that Daddy hadn’t yet tried fishing the ponds in the morning, got it into my head that an early start might be in order. So as we rode back up to the house with our catch, I let him know that if he wasn’t busy in the morning and wanted to try again, I wouldn’t be opposed to an early wake-up call.
Sure enough, there was a knock at my door right around 6:00 the next morning…and I was ready to go! In case you’re wondering how the fish fry turned out—we ended up catching one more large bass that completed our meal. But what made the morning truly special was something Daddy said as we loaded up the poles.
The Power of an Invitation
As we grabbed the worms and the net to catch bait fish, he said, “You know, you did something I can never say no to—you asked me to go fishing.”
From the outside, that might seem like a man who simply loves fishing. But there’s more to that comment than meets the eye. Fishing has always been our go-to daddy-daughter bonding activity. Before the ponds, we’d haul our canoes to nearby rivers or lakes to cast a line. I even have photos of Daddy teaching me to fish when I was just two. It wasn’t just about catching fish—it was about spending quality time together, and I think that invitation meant more to him than I realized.
A Joyful Father and a Faithful Remnant
Today’s Scripture passage comes from one of the many prophecies of judgment spoken over God’s people due to their unfaithfulness. But as is often the case, within this prophecy is the promise of a faithful remnant—those who remain true to God and become the bridge for restored relationship.
Zephaniah 3:12–13a says:
“But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths.”
Moving Toward God
Here’s what I notice: to take refuge in something, you have to move toward it. If I’m taking refuge in a building, I have to run to that building.
I also notice that the prophet says there will be no deceit. That’s powerful when you remember that Jacob, also known as Israel, was called the “deceitful one.” On that day being prophesied, God’s people will put away even the most embedded sins of their culture and move toward God. And what is His reaction?
God Rejoices Over Us
The passage tells us that God will shout—or even sing—over His people with joy. It’s a beautiful and surprising image: God rejoicing over us as we draw near to Him.
I don’t think my daddy’s joy was quite as overwhelming as God’s will be on that day, but I do believe he felt deeply loved when I asked to spend time with him.
What We Can Do Now
We don’t know when the end will come, when all of God’s people will be with Him forever. But in the meantime, we can still bless God by asking for more of Him—by carving out time to speak with Him, to rest in Him, to draw close to His presence.
Just as my daddy felt honored by my invitation, I believe our Heavenly Father delights in our desire for time with Him.
What a beautiful gift we’re able to give our Father.
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