July 19th - Reflection

Zephaniah 3:1-13 (NRSV)
The wicked convert to God
Ah, soiled, defiled,
oppressing city!
It has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction.
It has not trusted in the Lord;
it has not drawn near to its God.


The officials within it
are roaring lions;
its judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing until the morning.
Its prophets are reckless,
faithless persons;
its priests have profaned what is sacred,
they have done violence to the law.
The Lord within it is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Every morning he renders his judgment,
each dawn without fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.

I have cut off nations;
their battlements are in ruins;
I have laid waste their streets
so that no one walks in them;
their cities have been made desolate,
without people, without inhabitants.
I said, "Surely the city will fear me,
it will accept correction;
it will not lose sight
of all that I have brought upon it."
But they were the more eager
to make all their deeds corrupt.

Therefore wait for me, says the Lord,
for the day when I arise as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
all the heat of my anger;
for in the fire of my passion
all the earth shall be consumed.

At that time I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
my suppliants, my scattered ones,
shall bring my offering.

On that day you shall not be put to shame
because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from
your midst your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
in my holy mountain.

For I will leave in the midst of you
a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord --
the remnant of Israel;
they shall do no wrong
and utter no lies,
nor shall a deceitful tongue
be found in their mouths.
Then they will pasture and lie down,
and no one shall make them afraid.

Reflection
It's a city, probably Jerusalem, but it also speaks to us today. If I'm stubborn and don't listen and if I live in a place that doesn't pay attention to God's Word and will for the people and if I don't seek God as God is seeking me, then what position with God have I placed myself? I am hiding or maybe even running from God?

But, there are those in this city who are listening and are faithful and are putting up with the wayward government and religious people. These people continue to follow God even in the midst of all this. And there also are those who are not in this city that would love to be included in this city. They overlook the corruption and see the true God of the people and are drawn to this God.

Just like the wheat and the darnel, God chooses to wait and separate the darnel himself. The separating is God's act not ours. Perhaps what we think is darnel is actually wheat, so we leave it to God. And when God separates, the wheat will shine like the sun. The humble existence of the wheat shines forth in the glorious city that does listen and follow the Word of God. The wheat shines and glows and calls forth the praises of God to be heard far and wide. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, teach me to listen even when the noise is so loud that it seems to drown you out. Teach me to stay with it and show humble obedience to your Word and your Way. Teach me to follow Jesus...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen