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REFLECTION

How long has it been since you have felt God prompting you to follow him more closely? You may be struggling right now with the question of how to respond to God because, whether young or old, you know He’s speaking to you about making a change in your life.

Prophet Zephaniah, who is the Righteous Watchman in today’s theme, was one of the instruments God used in bringing prompting and warning to His people. God warned that if they did not repent, He’d visit earth with His wrath. No one could escape.

Those who were determined to stay on the wrong path, and in their defiant of God, will have to “face the music”. Sadly, despite all these warnings, the Israelites remained complacent and indifferent. So, why was God so upset? Zephaniah records three reasons in vv. 4-6.

1. First, he says that the people were worshiping other gods instead of the true God. What are the gods we have made for ourselves today? Think about the things that ‘rule’ your life most. Some have allowed sport betting and all other forms of gambling to control and determine the direction of their lives these days. For some, it’s the latest fashion. What about the messages that show up on your cellphones and the cellphone in itself? Do they control your life? What about television and its programmes? Talk of the telenovelas/soap operas etc. Some have a hard time shutting them off even when you know your attention should be focused on worshiping Almighty God.
   Many people today submit the direction of their lives to all kinds of other forces, rather than to God. Do you think God is any less displeased today than He was then? Reflect this day asking what idol you have made for yourself and repent otherwise, the Day of the Lord will catch up with you.
2. Second, Verse 5 says they were confused. They bowed down to the Lord on the one hand and gave allegiance to foreign gods on the other. That happens today as well. Jesus is not just one more great teacher. You can’t equate Jesus with any other god or deity. There is a lot of confusion in our world today. Some people say they are spiritual, but not Christian. Some say they like Jesus, but not the church, and some talk about a ‘churchless Christianity’.
   But, let’s not forget that Christ loved the church. He loved it so much He died for it. There are some who say that what you worship doesn’t really matter because all roads lead to heaven. But that is not what the Bible says. As Peter said in Acts 4;12, “There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” God wanted the confusion about God to stop then; He wants it to stop now. So let’s be clear about the object of our worship.
3. Verse 6 targets those who are just plainly indifferent to God. These are people for whom the story of the Bible no longer seems important. They don’t think about God; they don’t show up to worship Him. And it no longer matters to them if they pray to Him. They have watered down his commands, and their first love has become no love at all. In short, they have backslidden. Verse 12 says that these people were saying that, “The Lord will not do good, nor will he do harm.”
   In other words, God no longer matters. He no longer governs the world. Is God present in our world or not? People who don’t know have made themselves their own gods. So God allows them to experience the result of their sin. And that is why Zephaniah pronounces these words of judgment. In v. 7 he says, the Day of the Lord is at hand.

CONCLUSION
The Day of the Lord is a day of judgment, but for the Christian, it is also a day of hope. How does this change the way you live today? Will He find you faithful and loving Him when He returns, or will He find you loving something else?

PRAYER
Lord, we know these words are true. Help us in this life to keep our focus and You that no material thing may lead us astray in Jesus’ name. Amen.