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The faithful remnant…. (devo reflection)

Haggai 1:3-4 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

I assume that the group in Haggai 1 is the faithful remnant spoken of in Zephaniah 3. These are the ones who were going to be blessed because of their faithfulness, except they seem to be full of excuses about why they are focusing on rebuilding their own houses instead of the house of the Lord.

Haggai 1:5-6 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

As usual, my instinct is to lay into this foolish people, to berate them for being idiots. Can’t they see what they are doing? Can’t they see how ridiculous, how futile the path of making excuses to God? As usual, I am stopped in my tracks because I know I am guilty of the same things. Jesus, Help me.

Haggai 1:7-8 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord.

Lord, Once again this seems to boil down to pride—the pride of the faithful remnant, which causes them to put themselves first, my own pride which prompts me to jump to judgement. Forgive me. Help me instead to give careful thought to my ways, to get my own priorities straight, to stop trying to judge others and focus instead on You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Haggai 1:9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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Such a gift…. (devo reflection)

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!

The beginning of this chapter is about what happens when God calls the unrepentant to account. It’s not pretty. But even in judgement, God restores the remnant who remain faithful. He still has grace and compassion for those who call on Him.

Zephaniah 3:15 The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.

Not only does He have grace and compassion for the remnant, not only does He remove their punishment and turn back their enemy, He reassures them that as His beloved, they have nothing to fear from others.

Zephaniah 3:16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.

Lord, You are the epitome of grace. You remove our sins from us so completely that You can and do rejoice over us with singing instead. Thank You seems so inadequate for such a gift. When I think of the grudges I hold in my heart against those I perceive have done me wrong, I am ashamed. Help me to be more like You, to drop my pride and love Your people with my whole heart. Amen.

Zephaniah 3:17 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 will rejoice over you with singing

Have a blessed day.

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Lord, I need You…. (devo reflection)

Zephaniah 2:1 Gather together, gather yourselves together, you shameful nation….

Again, this chapter seems to be a warning of what happens when we come to the end of the Lord’s grace and compassion. Or perhaps it is a reminder that it *will* end, that the Lord will eventually settle accounts whether the people have chosen to repent and return or not.

Zephaniah 2:10 This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the Lord Almighty.

Again, there is mention of pride, but what else can it be but pride if they are still refusing God’s grace? Pride says, “I don’t need grace because I am enough, have enough, do enough without it.” Grace says, “My power is perfected in your weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).

Zephaniah 2:15a This is the city of revelry that lived in safety. She said to herself, “I am the one! And there is none besides me.” …

Lord, I need You. The truth of that statement is glaringly obvious most days. Thank You. On those days when my pride says I’m doing ok on my own, forgive me. I know that I am better with You than I could ever be without You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Zephaniah 2:15b …What a ruin she has become, a lair for wild beasts! All who pass by her scoff and shake their fists.

Have a blessed day.

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All the time in the world…. (devo reflection)

Zephaniah 1:4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests—

I’ve mentioned the fact that I grew up with a mental image of an angry, wrathful God and that this reading through the Old Testament was surprising because, instead of this angry, wrathful God, I found, again and again, a loving, compassionate, merciful God. However, in Zephaniah, we see that God’s mercy and compassion are not infinite. Judgement will come.

Zephaniah 1:5 those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek….”

When we think we have all the time in the world, we tend to take it for granted. No worries if I don’t do it today (no matter what it is). I can always do it tomorrow. Zephaniah 1 is a reminder that tomorrows are limited, and it’s best not to put things off, especially getting right with God.

Zephaniah 1:6 …those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”

Lord, Thank You for loving us so much that You don’t force us into obedience but You also keep after us, trying to open the eyes of our hearts to You. Help us not to take You, Your mercy and compassion, for granted. Help us not to put getting right with You off until tomorrow because tomorrow isn’t promised. Draw us closer. Amen.

Zephaniah 1:7 Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.

Have a blessed day.

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The vine and fig tree…. (devo reflection)

Habakkuk 3:17a Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines….

Micah and 1 Kings both mention the vine and fig tree. They seem to be symbols of safety, prosperity, and peace. I think Habakkuk is using them to say that even when life isn’t safe, prosperous, and peaceful, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,” he will still praise God because God is his strength.

Habakkuk 3:17b …though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls….

I have been at that point in life before, where every single thing is going wrong, when you’ve lost so much and you live in fear of the next blow. It is a terrible place to be, but there is great freedom in being able to say, “I don’t understand what’s going on, Lord, and I absolutely hate it, but I know You love me, and I know You are in control, and I know You can somehow bring beauty from these ashes. I trust You.”

Habakkuk 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Lord, It is hard to rejoice when life feels like it’s falling apart. Help us to remember that we aren’t rejoicing in life, we are rejoicing in You. You are our strength and our shield; our hearts trust in You, and You help us (Psalm 28:7). Thank You. Amen.

Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.

Have a blessed day.

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Living by faith…. (devo reflection)

Habakkuk 2:4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness….

I’m struck again by the insidious, destructive power of pride. Faith involves the belief in something, someone greater than ourselves, God. Pride shifts the focus solely to us. “*I* did that. That was pretty cool. Look at me and what I can do.”

Habakkuk 2:18 “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.

It’s a slippery slope for sure, and humans aren’t well equipped to navigate it safely. We slip from faith to self-reliance without even realizing we’ve tipped over the edge. But our pride leads to nothing. Only our faith in God leads to eternity.

Habakkuk 2:19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.”

Lord, We are a proud people. We put far too much faith in ourselves and our own abilities. Forgive us. Help us to root ourselves firmly in You alone. Help us to live by faith in You alone. Amen.

Habakkuk 2:20 The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

Have a blessed day.

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Be utterly amazed…. (devo reflection)

Habakkuk 1:2 How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?

Lord, I am so tired, and it seems the more exhausted I am, the more I try to “get all up in Your business,” trying to be sure You see, You know, You understand all that is going on in this world. Forgive me for my arrogance.

Habakkuk 1:3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Lord, I don’t often understand what You are doing. Help me cling to Isaiah 55:8: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Help me to trust You always, even when I am exhausted.

Habakkuk 1:5 “Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

Lord, I pray the words of Psalm 25 to You: 1 O LORD, I give my life to you. 2 I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced…. 4 Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Hear my prayer, Lord. Amen.

Habakkuk 1:6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.

Have a blessed day.

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This proud trap…. (devo reflection)

Nahum 3:1 Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!

From a literary standpoint, verses 1-3 with their rich sensory descriptions, really strike me. We are placed into the scene with the flashing swords, glittering spears, crack of the whips, clatter of the wheels, blood and broken bodies everywhere.

Nahum 3:2 The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots!

Not only that, but there is a pervading sense of hopelessness and defeat in this scene: Not only can no one and nothing save them, but all who hear of their defeat will celebrate.

Nahum 3:3 Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses….

Lord, Thank You that this fate is not the end for those who trust in You, for those who repent and return. While this chapter is rich with detail from a literary standpoint, from a personal standpoint, I do not wish to ever suffer this fate. Thank You that You not only show me the way out of this proud trap, but also that You keep after my heart, showing me what is keeping me from You and how to fully return. I don’t deserve anything You give me, Lord, but I am so grateful. Amen.

Nahum 3:19 Nothing can heal you; your wound is fatal. All who hear the news about you clap their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?

Have a blessed day.

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Only God…. (devo reflection)

Nahum 2:1 An attacker advances against you, Nineveh. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength!

It is said that God brings beauty from ashes. This verse seems to show almost the reverse. Because Nineveh refuses to submit, the Lord is turning this once rich, formidable place into a wasteland.

Nahum 2:2 The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines.

In verse 13, the Lord says “I am against you.” The verse brings to mind Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Even with everything Nineveh had going for it, even with all the destruction Jacob had suffered, the battle belongs to the Lord, not to man. Might, wealth, power, ruin and waste, none of it matters. Only God.

Nahum 2:10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped! Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows pale.

Lord, We have such definite, human ideas about might and mercy, about victors and victims. But none of that matters in Your eyes. Help me always remember that You are my strength and my refuge, that the battle is not mine but Yours alone. Help me not to put trust in human measures but only in You. Amen.

Nahum 2:13 “I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

Have a blessed day.

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A sobering thought…. (devo reflection)

Nahum 1:3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.…

Many times I have talked about the mercy, love, and compassion of the Lord as seen through His word, the fact that He gives opportunity after opportunity for return and repentance. This chapter seems to show that God’s mercy, love, and compassion aren’t infinite, that He will call those to task who steadfastly refuse to repent and return.

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him….

However, for those who trust in Him, verse 7 reminds us, He is a trustworthy refuge. The violent imagery in verse 13 (embodied by words like break and tear) show that that repentance and return aren’t always easy, especially when there is much hesitation, a sobering thought.

Nahum 1:13 Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”

Lord, I struggle with images of You that aren’t loving, merciful, and compassionate, perhaps because mercy and compassion are what I so need. Thank You for an honest look at what happens when we repeatedly fail to repent and return to You. Help me to never have to experience that side of You first-hand. Soften my heart. Help me to stay centered on You always. Amen.

Nahum 1:15 Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!

Have a blessed day.