READING:
One-year plan: Zephaniah 1-3, Haggai 1-2, Revelation 17:1-18:20
Two-year plan: 2 Chronicles 12:1-14:1, Acts 5:1-11
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Today’s reading covers the entire book of Zephaniah, a book urging Judah to seek Yahweh before judgment comes. This book offers us a simple outline to focus on the incredible grace of God as we look forward to a new year:
- God speaks to His people to warn them. The book begins with “The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah” (1:1) and ends with “Yahweh has spoken” (3:20). In between these verses are five expressions of “This is the Lord’s declaration” (1:2, 1:3, 1:10, 2:9, 3:8). Without question, this book is God’s speaking to His people.
- God judges people who do take Him for granted, especially those who are comfortable in their sin and think that God may not judge (Zeph 1:12).In that light, I must then ask, “how comfortable am I with my sin?” How about you?
- God judges people who ignore His discipline. (Zeph 3:2, 3:7)
- Still, God calls us back to Him, crying out for us to return to Him before judgment comes (Zeph 3:1-3). He calls us to seek Him humbly and obediently.
- He promises a day of restoration for His people — a day when God’s people will rejoice, but God will also sing over us (Zeph 3:17). Think about it. We will rejoice over God, but He will also rejoice over us. God will join in the singing as His glory is so evidenced in His incredible love for us.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Is your life today likely to lead to God’s singing over you?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, I pray my life makes You want to sing today.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Zechariah 1-6, Revelation 18:21-19:21
Two-year plan: 2 Chronicles 14:2-16:14, Acts 5:12-21
*portions first published in 2015