Some “through the bible” thoughts from Zephaniah 3.
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:14-17)
The book of Zephaniah begins with disturbing descriptions of “the day of the Lord,” world wide destruction that includes Judah and Jerusalem. Rampant idolatry will come to an end with distress and anguish, ruin and devastation, darkness and gloom (1:15).
But the final chapter ends with singing, shouting, and rejoicing. The most amazing part? The Lord is right there in the middle of it all, rejoicing, exulting, and singing. In other words, the Lamb who is at the center of praises in John’s visions of heaven (Revelation 5) is right there with his people in worship.
It makes perfect sense. Our great high priest is like us in every way. He is fully human in our world, going to synagogue on the Sabbath and festivals in Jerusalem. I really like the image of Jesus going to church with his people.
I truly believe Jesus would love to be in church, at home in every form of worship found in any and every denomination. From quiet moments of prayer to joyful singing, Jesus wouldn’t miss a moment.
Churches have long been divided by worship style, language, and meeting place. The presence of Jesus in each and every place destroys those distinctions.
I just hope you like being with him as much as he enjoys being with you!
Waite for it... 