Advent Devotional Dec 9
Week Two:
Creating Shalom means Sharing Love
Friday, December 9, 2022
“God’s Love Song to You” – Read Zephaniah 3:14-17
The Lord will take great delight in you; / in love the Lord will no longer rebuke you, / but will rejoice over you with singing.” (v. 17, NIV)
Imagine the season of Lent. 40 days of identifying our sins and weaknesses, asking forgiveness, all while seeking the coming of the living Christ. The early Church thought that if Christ were to come again, that “Day of the Lord” would surely take place on an Easter morning.
Now imagine an Easter morning with Zephaniah as your pastor. You are preparing to sing, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” Suddenly, Zephaniah stops everything. “You’re expecting the Day of the Lord today?” he cries out. “Then hear this: ‘When I come again,’ says the Lord, ‘I will sweep every living thing from the face of the earth, including humanity. Your hearts still seek other gods.”
It would be difficult to argue with the first two chapters of Zephaniah’s message, even on Easter morning. The world is not as it should be, even after 2,000 years of trying. WE are not as we should be, even after a lifetime of trying. When Christ comes again, on Christmas or Easter, why would he be happy with us?
But suddenly, Pastor Zephaniah’s countenance changes. It’s as if both he and God have run out of breath, run out of anger for God’s children, no matter what we may have done. Zephaniah tells us that God’s true face, true heart, cannot be held back any longer. And suddenly, his sermon changes: Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! / . . . in love the Lord will no longer rebuke you, / but will rejoice over you with singing.” (3:17)
Advent—like Lent—is a time of preparing for Christ’s coming. Honestly, I never feel ready for Christmas when it comes! I always want more days in Advent to get my heart right as I fight against our culture’s commercialization. Thankfully, Zephaniah reminds us that no matter the status of our soul, our God, who is all love, can never stop loving us. Christmas will always come too soon. It’s a reminder that Christ is God’s gift of love to us and not something we earn from hard work. God sings Christ’s love and joy over us with every Advent hymn and Christmas carol.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, / Descend to us, we pray; / Cast out our sins and enter in, / Be born to us today. / We hear the Christmas angels / The great glad tidings tell: / Oh, come to us, abide with us, / Our Lord Emmanuel! / Amen. (The United Methodist Hymnal #230)
Anonymous
Local Church Member, the Heartland District
“God’s Love Song to You” – Read Zephaniah 3:14-17
The Lord will take great delight in you; / in love the Lord will no longer rebuke you, / but will rejoice over you with singing.” (v. 17, NIV)
Imagine the season of Lent. 40 days of identifying our sins and weaknesses, asking forgiveness, all while seeking the coming of the living Christ. The early Church thought that if Christ were to come again, that “Day of the Lord” would surely take place on an Easter morning.
Now imagine an Easter morning with Zephaniah as your pastor. You are preparing to sing, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” Suddenly, Zephaniah stops everything. “You’re expecting the Day of the Lord today?” he cries out. “Then hear this: ‘When I come again,’ says the Lord, ‘I will sweep every living thing from the face of the earth, including humanity. Your hearts still seek other gods.”
It would be difficult to argue with the first two chapters of Zephaniah’s message, even on Easter morning. The world is not as it should be, even after 2,000 years of trying. WE are not as we should be, even after a lifetime of trying. When Christ comes again, on Christmas or Easter, why would he be happy with us?
But suddenly, Pastor Zephaniah’s countenance changes. It’s as if both he and God have run out of breath, run out of anger for God’s children, no matter what we may have done. Zephaniah tells us that God’s true face, true heart, cannot be held back any longer. And suddenly, his sermon changes: Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! / . . . in love the Lord will no longer rebuke you, / but will rejoice over you with singing.” (3:17)
Advent—like Lent—is a time of preparing for Christ’s coming. Honestly, I never feel ready for Christmas when it comes! I always want more days in Advent to get my heart right as I fight against our culture’s commercialization. Thankfully, Zephaniah reminds us that no matter the status of our soul, our God, who is all love, can never stop loving us. Christmas will always come too soon. It’s a reminder that Christ is God’s gift of love to us and not something we earn from hard work. God sings Christ’s love and joy over us with every Advent hymn and Christmas carol.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, / Descend to us, we pray; / Cast out our sins and enter in, / Be born to us today. / We hear the Christmas angels / The great glad tidings tell: / Oh, come to us, abide with us, / Our Lord Emmanuel! / Amen. (The United Methodist Hymnal #230)
Anonymous
Local Church Member, the Heartland District
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