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Zephaniah 2:8-3:20; 2 Chronicles 35:20-27; 2 Kings 23:29-30; Jeremiah 47-48:47<\/strong><\/span> Zephaniah chapter 3 verse 5 stood out to me in today\u2019s readings: \u201cBut the LORD is still there in the city, and he does no wrong. Day by day his justice is more evident, but no one takes notice\u2013the wicked know no shame.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 As you read the 4 preceding verses, you\u2019ll note that God is calling the people and leaders of Jerusalem to the carpet for their sinful ways.\u00a0 And in the midst of all this, comes this beautiful verse 5.\u00a0 God is still there in the city.\u00a0 In the midst of all the chaos and shame.\u00a0 And even through all of this, God\u2019s justice actually becomes more and more evident.\u00a0 I think this verse really jumped out at me today because I read a horribly depressing story in the paper recently about just some awful things that were done to children in a nearby city.\u00a0 And this story reminded me that we indeed live in a fallen world.\u00a0 There is evil in our world that invades the hearts of men and women.\u00a0 And yet, even in the midst of all of this chaos and shame in our world today, \u201cThe LORD is still there in the city, and he does no wrong. Day by day his justice is more evident, but no one takes notice\u2013the wicked know no shame.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Do you take notice of God in our world today?\u00a0 Even in the midst of everything else going on that may attempt to distract you from God?\u00a0 Is God\u2019s justice (and love and compassion and mercy and call to holiness) becoming more and more evident to you each day of your life?\u00a0 This very evening, do you believe that God is still there in the city?\u00a0 Will you take notice?<\/span><\/p>\n Chapter 3 verses 11 & 12 also stood out to me in today\u2019s readings: \u201cI will remove all the proud and arrogant people from among you. There will be no pride on my holy mountain. Those who are left will be the lowly and the humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD.\u201d <\/em>We of course continue to see the sin of pride coming up over and over again in the Old Testament.\u00a0 Here God reminds us that pride and arrogance are not attributes of those who love him.\u00a0 It is indeed the lowly and the humble that better reflect the attributes of those who love and trust God.\u00a0 Is pride something that you struggle with?\u00a0 Do you realize that pride can be a hindrance to a fully loving and obedient relationship with God?\u00a0 Will you lay down your pride and seek humility?\u00a0 Will you seek to place your trust in God rather than your own abilities?\u00a0 When was the last time you bowed low before God?<\/span><\/p>\n Jeremiah chapter 48 is not a very happy chapter\u2026 at first glance it\u2019s tough to figure out what is going on in this chapter. Why is God so angry at Moab? I think verses 28 \u2013 30 let us in on why: \u201cYou people of Moab, flee from your cities and towns! Live in the caves like doves that nest in the clefts of the rocks.<\/em> We have heard of the pride of Moab, for it is very great. We know of her loftiness, her arrogance, and her haughty heart. I know about her insolence,\u201d says the LORD, \u201cbut her boasts are false; they accomplish nothing.\u201d<\/em> It sounds like pride and boasting was a major factor here obviously. Along with idol worship as we see in verse 13: \u201cAt last Moab will be ashamed of her idol Chemosh, as Israel was ashamed of her gold calf at Bethel.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>I do think we see sadness from God in this judgment upon Moab in verse 31: \u201cYes, I wail for Moab; my heart is broken for the men of Kir-hareseth.\u201d <\/em>And ultimate redemption comes in the last verse, 47, of this chapter: \u201cBut in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Moab,\u201d says the LORD.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>This chapter may give us the opportunity to pause and reflect on if there are areas in our life where we are boasting? Boasting in prideful ways? Are we arrogant, lofty, displaying a haughty heart toward others?<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video: <\/strong>Today\u2019s readings in Zephaniah remind me of\u00a0the Bluetree song (made famous by Chris Tomlin) called\u00a0\u201cGod of this City.\u201d\u00a0 Bluetree are from Belfast, Northern Ireland, so you\u2019ll pick up the great Irish accent in this live acoustic version of the song:<\/span><\/p>\n \n
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