Day 263, or September 20, the Day of the Lord is coming.
Our thoughts today are rooted in Zephaniah chapter 2 verse 3. Seek the Lord, all you
humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility, perhaps
you will be sheltered on the Day of the Lord's anger.
Look at the big picture surrounding this verse. Zephaniah speaks to the people of Judah almost
a century after the Assyrians have scattered the northern tribes. Then only twenty more
years will pass before the city of Nineveh falls to the invading army of Babylonia. God
sends a prophet to declare that the Day of the Lord is coming, and ultimate justice will
be done, and many survive to see such a day with the downfall of Nineveh. Along with Jeremiah
and Habakkuk, Zephaniah is a last-minute warning, to shape up or be shipped away into exile.
They ignore the warning, and within little more than a generation, Nebuchadnezzar attacks
and takes them into exile in Babylonia, just as God had told them.
And now today's action step. It seems so many people are getting away with unlawful
acts these days. This was the accusation being made in the days of Zephaniah over two and
a half thousand years ago. He told the people that all would be resolved on the Day of the
Lord, when God would bring ultimate justice as only he can, but they didn't believe him.
The situation hasn't changed a lot since then. Many folk today don't believe Jesus
will return, but on that Day of the Lord, justice will be done and be seen to be done.
I know a lady who is very bitter about a tradesman who she is convinced has ripped her off, to
use her words. She says that she can't forgive him. When bad things happen to you, do your
best to forgive the perpetrator quickly before bitterness sets in. You can do all this knowing
that in the Day of the Lord, justice will be done. Trust God immediately to work it
all out in his perfect time and know his peace now.