stillness and beauty - Zephaniah 3:9-20

9th January 2012

Post with 1 note

Zephaniah 3:9-20

God Is in Charge at the Center

^9-13“In the end I will turn things around for the people.
   I’ll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted,
Words to address God in worship
   and, united, to serve me with their shoulders to the wheel.
They’ll come from beyond the Ethiopian rivers,
   they’ll come praying—
All my scattered, exiled people
   will come home with offerings for worship.
You’ll no longer have to be ashamed
   of all those acts of rebellion.
I’ll have gotten rid of your arrogant leaders.
   No more pious strutting on my holy hill!
I’ll leave a core of people among you
   who are poor in spirit—
What’s left of Israel that’s really Israel.
   They’ll make their home in God.
This core holy people
   will not do wrong.
They won’t lie,
   won’t use words to flatter or seduce.
Content with who they are and where they are,
   unanxious, they’ll live at peace.”

^14-15So sing, Daughter Zion!
   Raise the rafters, Israel!
Daughter Jerusalem,
   be happy! celebrate!
God has reversed his judgments against you
   and sent your enemies off chasing their tails.
From now on, God is Israel’s king,
   in charge at the center.
There’s nothing to fear from evil
   ever again!

God Is Present Among You

^16-17Jerusalem will be told:
   ”Don’t be afraid.
Dear Zion,
   don’t despair.
Your God is present among you,
   a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
   and delight you with his songs.

^18-20“The accumulated sorrows of your exile
   will dissipate.
I, your God, will get rid of them for you.
   You’ve carried those burdens long enough.
At the same time, I’ll get rid of all those
   who’ve made your life miserable.
I’ll heal the maimed;
   I’ll bring home the homeless.
In the very countries where they were hated
   they will be venerated.
On Judgment Day
   I’ll bring you back home—a great family gathering!
You’ll be famous and honored
   all over the world.
You’ll see it with your own eyes—
   all those painful partings turned into reunions!”
         God’s Promise.

Desperation. Give me desperation.