Zephaniah 3:5
The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by
morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet
the unrighteous know no shame. (NIV)
Some parts of the Bible are harder to accept and embrace
than others. We usually look for promises and blessings from scripture to make
us feel good, loved, and accepted by God, especially when we are going through
some trying times. However, the Bible is not a quaint book full of positive
thoughts and lovely affirmations. It is rooted in the struggle between God and
humankind, so there are bits, passages, and sections that are very difficult to
read and receive.
Take, for instance, the passage from the prophet
Zephaniah (3:1-10).
It’s full of doom and gloom because it’s all about God’s wrathful response to
the sins of His people. God comes across as a Destroyer of cities and nations
which is actually very scary. There doesn’t seem to be anything positive to
hold on to, or anything wonderful to glean. Now there are some folks who relish
this kind of wrathful judgment in scripture and who use these words to
spiritually terrorize other people. They gleefully embrace and apply these scornful
words as weapons to condemn others who do not believe in God in a similar way.
However, in doing this, they miss the point completely. In the midst of all the
damnation and destruction, God is constantly upholding justice each day – for the
poor and powerless, the deprived and marginalized.
God is almighty and at any time He could destroy the
entire universe, however, His grace endures and His mercy is given each day.
Our role, as Christians, is to follow Christ and apply those divine blessings,
even in a time when the unrighteous know no shame.
Point to ponder
Where do I see God’s justice prevail in the world? How
can I align myself with His way?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is so very easy to condemn
others, especially when we do not like what they are saying or doing. We can
feel smug and self-important that we are not like them, but that would be
false. In the midst of our sinful ways, teach us about justice, mercy, and
grace. Help us to apply these gifts to those we dislike, oppose, and even
distrust. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in
Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to give some feedback on today’s
message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s image is one of
John’s Celtic drawings called “Celtic Heart.” If you would like to view a
larger version, please click this link: Heart.
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