Love & Justice, Judgement & Hope

This morning I read the book of Zephaniah, it’s only three chapters, but it’s a very powerful three chapters. He starts off, talking about the pride and arrogance and anger and evil sin of his people that he loved. He talks about how he feels betrayed by people that he loved by his people that didn’t deserve his love, he tells us to seek the Lord be humble seek righteousness. He gives us two options. Continue in our evil sin, and die, shrivel up and dry up like a desert. Or we can seek him, seek refuge in him, do justice, cease from speaking lies, and the promises that he gives us are so much more than the curse. It’s Life or Death! He spends five verses talking about he will rejoice over us, He will sing over us, he will save us, He will quiet us with his love take away our anxieties, He will save the lame and gather us to him, he will restore us to him. We will be his people and he will be our God.

I’m going to admit that I have trouble reading the Prophets. Sometimes they’re hard for me to comprehend and understand and sometimes they can be discouraging but this morning I looked at it in a new light, it’s our choice. He gives us two options and he doesn’t force his love on us, but it’s there if we want it all we have to do is take it he’s chasing us , stop running away let his love quiet your anxieties let him sing over you let him protect you. To end, he says there for wait for me, be a humble and lowly people, seek refuge in the name of the Lord rejoice and exalt with all your heart, and I will change your shame into praise. I will make you rejoice, the mighty one will save, he will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you with his love. He will exalt over you with loud singing. He will restore you before all His enemies, he will save the lame and gather the outcast in his arms.