TODAYS READING ZEPHANIAH 3:14-20 Restoration of Israels Remenant (HOPEFUL FANS) Every team in professional sports has a group of devoted follwers you might call hopeful fans. Without them, the team couldnt survive. These arent rabid fans who constantly vacillate between intense hatred & deilght each game, or fickle fans who cheer enthusiastically during winning streaks but lose interest when thier team losses games. These fans remain true no matter what. Theyre happy when their team wins, certainly, but still wear colors proudly when they lose. For them, theres always next game. Israel possessed an unparalleled record of losing seasons. Nations & dynasties flourished & vanished while Gods people experienced more losers than winners. The nations continued existence was in its self a miracle. A casual observer might wonder why God didnt get tired of losing. He could have sold the team off long before. Yet God never gave up his franchise. The people of Israel were his chosen people. He knew theyd eventually win. With God, next year is always a certainly. This message came to Israel through Zephanianh when strom clouds of devastation & defeat darkened vthe nations horizon. While he had earlier joined the chorus of prophets who were predicting Israels suffering. Zephanianh also added words of hope. The reign of King Josiah included of righteousness in Judah, delaying Gods judgment. The nation showed all the signs of a rebuilding team. The people changed their old habits & eliminated evil practices. Unfortunately, Josiahs reforms didnt last long. Losing ways ran deep within the nation. Yet hope became the refuge of a small group determined to remain faithful. Gods hopeful fans stood fast. They realized that next year might not happen for a long time, but it would eventually come. God had promised. Th same God who kept his word to Israel keeps his promises to you. You can count on it. So live as a hopeful fan. Gods promise describes both his relationship with Israel & the one he longs to have yiu be: The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but he will rejoice over you with singing( Zephanianh 3:17).
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 01:46:08 +0000
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