🟢 How do you use what you understood from this book?
I am so impressed by God’s heart to forgive even when he can’t recognize his people. But even more than forgive he wishes to reconcile us to him, to heal us so the relationship not only heals but he gives us hope that it will be stronger and deeper. I think of difficult bumps in relations. I am convicted that I have to predetermined to forgive even before the offense as God used his only son to die so that my debt could be paid. Jesus willingly gave his life for me so that my sins my offenses could be paid in full. How can I not only forgive but also pray for reconciliation and take active sincere steps to encourage this. Our words should always built up, love as his words through the prophets gave hope. He also loved them enough not to leave them in the condition in which they were.
I love the passage in Habakkuk: Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity…though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails…yet I will rejoice in God my savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. I love in Zephaniah he talks about purifying the lips of his people so that ALL of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him SHOULDER TO SHOULDER. That is all of us pulling together. We are not to leave anyone behind. God will not leave anyone behind; he reaches out to everyone. He wants us all working shoulder to shoulder. What good is our salvation if we are not pulling along others!
I love v17: the Lord is with you, he is (so) mighty to save. ( where is our role in this?) Are we mighty to save.
I love these tender words: he will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will (even) rejoice over me with singing. (So I dance before him!) I love v20: at that time I will bring you home (more than Yerusalem but to his arms).
Even when the remnant returned from the exile and forgot about the Lord’s temple attending to their own homes, the Lord forgave and said “I am with you.” I need to say “I am with you” when I am in a bump with someone.
I love how he tells his people be strong and work, for my spirit remains with you.
I love how he says he will shake the heavens and the glory of the present temple (even though physically it was not as exceptional as the former temple) will greater with the glory of his spirit than the glory of the present house.
He warns to give careful thought to our ways. Again he overturns what we consider as powerful (chariots and horses in our lives). We need to rely so much on Him so that he can make us like his sign at ring. What we do represents his signature of righteousness, justice, hope and love.