Zephaniah: Minor Prophet, Major Name

   

View of the Dead Sea from Masada

A name can influence a destiny and a calling. 

In Hebrew, Zephaniah’s name means “the Lord has protected; treasured by God.” 

While Zephaniah’s book was full of warnings and judgements for Judah-and for surrounding nations- it’s significant that his name symbolized God’s protection and the  coming restoration of Judah’s fortunes. 

The minor prophet Zephaniah was a walking, talking example of competing paradoxes. Think of this: each time someone addressed him by name, the judgement and then joy grew in truth.

Zephaniah’ lived in 7^th century BC Jerusalem-located in Judah-Israel’s southern kingdom. Somewhat of a pause existed under honorable King Josiah in between two eras; the occupation of Assyria and the Babylonian exile.

Despite most of Zephaniah’s frightening, vivid descriptions of God’s judgement against the Israelites and the nations of his day, Zephaniah also mentions “the day of the Lord” 23 times regarding both his era and the end times. The last verses of the 3-chapter book are awe-inspiring. It reinforces God’s promises to His treasured chosen people and reminds us that God has saved a remnant of His people to this very day.

A Prayer for Israel

Zachariah 3:20 serves as our platform. “At that time, I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.  At that time, I will gather you; at that time, I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.”

Jesus and Facebook

I will admit it.  Despite all the concerns about Facebook, I like its positive aspects. I enjoy keeping up with friends, family, and making new friends too.  It’s also fun to check in to my Facebook and see how many are “following” me. Since I am a writer, it is especially affirming! And I very much enjoy “following” others, their ministries, and organizations. I learn so much about so many topics.

 Facebook does not have anything on Jesus though. “Following” originated in the New Testament with two of the most significant life-changing, world-changing words in the bible, “FOLLOW ME.”

 In Matthew 4:19 as Jesus walked along the beautiful Sea of Galilee, He approached Peter and Andrew, fishermen busy at their hard work. They were unaware that their ordinary lives would change into the most extraordinary work in world history, ambassadors of the Good News. Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Then in Luke 5:7 he met up with Levi (Matthew) the tax collector sitting in his ancient “IRS” booth where most others in the Jewish community despised him. Jesus invited Matthew saying, “Follow Me.”  Matthew was not the only one shocked at the invitation. He was also shocked that Jesus wanted to eat supper with him and other sinners. Matthew who once owed his allegiance to the Roman's oppressive tax system, shifted his allegiance to Jesus, also becoming an Ambassador of the Good News.

 Long before Facebook was even a thought-when I was a child, teenager, and into adulthood-I often sang an old favorite praise song, “I have Decided to Follow Jesus.”  The songwriter is often thought to be anonymous, but its title is a statement of joy for all of us who have met the Lord Jesus in a personal encounter. When I “decided to follow Jesus” at 17 years old, it was the best decision of my life. Like everyone I know, life’s challenges and sorrows didn’t disappear. Yet, because the Lord Jesus is magnificently worthy of following, His unwavering, unconditional faithfulness has repeatedly rescued me, making my life worthwhile and fulfilling. 

One of  the song’s verses reads, “The world behind me, the cross before me, The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; No turning back, no turning back.”

Watching our nation and world spinning around now in upheaval, I am often reminding myself to keep my eyes on the cross, on Jesus, with no turning back.  I hope my reminder to myself will encourage you too with Jesus’ simple, yet extraordinary words filled with promise, “FOLLOW ME.”  

Our Citizenship

Our Citizenship 

I’m grateful to be an American citizen “in the land of the free and the home of the brave.”  Citizenship, “the state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen” provides part of our sense of belonging. Sadly, many nations in the world, governed by despots and dictators, offer their citizens little, if any, rights and privileges. When it comes to citizenship-and world travel-passports are ever more important! Our passports are one way to show we belong somewhere. Our passport opens doors all over the world. 

However, we have yet another passport and citizenship. It is eternal and permanently stamped 2,000 years ago with the sacrificial blood of Jesus on the tree. Philippians 3:20 phrases it this way, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

When we encounter and embrace Jesus' salvation as our Substitute Who paid the debt of our sin, God adopts us into His family. He bestows rights and privileges on us. In turn, by His holy spirit within us, we carry out the “duties of citizenship” to love Him and serve others. 

Jesus IS our Passport. He’s our Passport to a more fulfilling life here on earth and the Passport to our eternal destination as a citizen of Heaven. Heaven is a country containing beauty and glories, rights and privileges that we cannot imagine! Revelation 7: 15-17 describes our eternal country. “And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” 

Billy Graham's quote is perfect, "My home is in heaven. I'm just traveling through this world."

In 1949, hymnist Ira F. Stanphill wrote “Mansion Over the Hilltop.” It describes the land we'll live in forever when our Passport, Jesus, opens the gate. Here’s the chorus:

"I've got a mansion just over the hilltop,

In that bright land where we'll never grow old.

And some day yonder, we will nevermore wander,

But walk the streets that are purest gold."

 

Lessons from a Beach Walk

When on a beach walk, shelling is one of my favorite pastimes. With waves as background music, I alternate between looking up at blue skies or looking down at the sand to collect shells to take home.  Usually, I am visiting a beach in South Carolina, the state where I grew up.  

The shells on South Carolina beaches offer 700 delightful varieties awaiting discovery. I've also enjoyed collecting shells in other states and countries. The impressive Triton shell I found in the Dominican Republic is one of my favorites. In Florida, I gathered some big conch shells with the glowing pink color inside. In Israel, I collected tiny shells in the Sea of Galilee.  I enjoyed finding whelk with their lovely shapes in the Bahamas.  Each kind of shell on any seashore has their own shape, color, and story. 

A Lettered Olive

On my most recent beach walk near Myrtle Beach, I found all sizes and shapes of cockle shells littering the sand in profusion. The Lettered Olive is the official South Carolina state shell and I found one today! As a writer I especially enjoyed the find. I also found a Shark Eye Moon Shell in perfect condition. 

In tidal pools, I also discovered miniature sea stars/starfish, a first for me in beach walking over the years. Some of the tiny starfish created quite a picture with the loss of one of their four arms. Locals say that the tiny starfish have been a phenomenon all summer.     

Some shells are so beautiful, they are a feast for the eyes. Others, like oysters, are not pretty but they sure are delicious. They remind me of the fun of an outdoor oyster roast. South Carolinians love to shovel oysters off steel-topped fires and dump them onto plywood tables. Oyster lovers like me are ready with an oyster knife. Some shells, like the ones in the Sea of Galilee hold a spiritual meaning because Jesus strolled the shores and walked on the water!  Other shells like the cockles make for clever craft projects. 

Looking at the varieties of shells my thoughts turned to God’s design for human beings. No two are alike. God endows each of us with personality, purpose, ideas, appearance, skin colors, smiles, hair, ability, etc. combined into a DNA all our own.

Our uniqueness does not shelter us from life’s ups and downs though. Like many of the useful or lovely shells, we experience brokenness marred and battered by reefs of problems, hurricanes of confusion, or unrelenting high tides of loss.  

Everyone I know has experienced some sort of brokenness, loss, or trauma. That includes me. Battered like broken beach shells, it is easy to wonder, “Will I make it?” King David experienced all emotions, questions, successes, and failures. 

Crying out in the Psalms, he wondered if God had abandoned him. He seesawed between passionate praises to the Lord and deep sorrows while hiding in a cave. In Psalm 34:1 David proclaimed, “Lord, I’m bursting with joy over what you’ve done for me!” Then in Psalm 77:4 he laments, “I can’t get a wink of sleep until you come and comfort me. Now I’m too burdened to even pray!” (The Passion Translation)

Shark Eye Moon Shell

I have felt the same emotions. King David weathered all of it with God’s help. And we will too if we lock down scriptures in our minds and hearts, pray, fellowship, and hang on to Jesus with all we've got. My life verse, Philippians 4:13, assures me that “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”  The photo on the left shows the whole moon shell I found and on the right, one that is broken. To me, it's a picture of hope that the Lord can heal our brokenness and restore us again.  

An angel wing

I left my beach walk with a bag of shells along with an infusion of hope. The Lord reminded me that whether in life’s brokenness or beauty-sometimes existing simultaneously-He walks with us along the shores of our lives! And the special Angel Wing I found reminded me that Lord's angels watch over me. I pray the same for you! 

      

   

Avoiding the Old Testament? Reconsider!

Photo Credit: Yad Vashem

It’s been more years than I like to admit that I’ve not read the Old Testament line by line. I finally made a New Year’s resolution to reconnect in a systematic way with the Old Testament, along with the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs through the Daily Audio Bible. 

The Old Testament's descriptive accounts of wars, murders, beheadings, child-killing, idol-worship and all manner of awfulness, led me to write the word “horrific” in the margins of my Bible next to the accounts. I want to fast- forward the audio… and fast!

 I’ve been troubled and yes, self-righteous thinking about these “terrible” people and events both Jewish and non-Jewish. It’s easier to excuse my own shortcomings when reading about theirs. Yet, wading through the Old Testament’s rivers of conflict and wars, I’ve finally realized once again that it’s me in those stories. Not with wars and murder, but owning the fact that we are all born into a sinful state; it's uncomfortable to accept. We are vulnerable to all kinds of failings, including Christians, of which I’m a part.

The Old Testament pulls no punches describing sin, often in detail. It graphically sets the stage for an encounter with our Redeemer. The Old Testament is raw. In your face. Yet, each book is woven with inspiration. 

For example, reading about a disobedient Moses, an adulterous David who ordered a “hit” on a husband, a cowardly Gideon, and a runaway Jonah, I'm reminded that God used each one to accomplish great tasks. 

Am I downplaying the sinful mistakes of our beloved Biblical leaders? Absolutely not. I am them! In my mind, I’ve killed. In my mind and words,  I’ve given in to anger. I’ve hurt others. I’ve settled for lukewarm. I’ve made wrong choices. Many of them. And maybe this is one reason why I, and others, tend to avoid the Old Testament … it's a way of avoiding the realities of our own imperfections.

“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.” -Mark Twain

I’m reminded once again that I must fully welcome the indwelling, incarnational Jesus so that I can have any semblance of an overcoming life. The easy way is to avoid confession and repentance. The easy way is to blame others. The easy way is to live in the grace of the New Testament while ignoring the ugliness of the Old Testament and deny my  own desperate state.

The Old and New Testaments are a whole, entwined book. They cannot and should not be separated. Old Testament is a stark record of humankind’s sinful nature side by side with profiles of God's transformation of novices into leaders. Its stories take us by the hand and lead us to our Redeemer in the New. 

There, we discover our Savior in His fullness Who makes it "well with our souls." Biblical festivals and teachings in the Old Testament vividly describe the culture Jesus lived in and the scripture scrolls He unrolled and read in synagogue. The prophecies of His coming scattered throughout the Old Testament are proven in the New Testament. 

 The Old Testament brings us to our knees recognizing ourselves in the lives of its characters. It readies us to meet our Lord Who triumphs on our behalf with unconditional love and sacrifice. Father God’s tough, sometimes harsh reactions are recounted in the Old Testament yet with stunning acts of undeserved mercy and second chances.   

When God clothed Himself in a human body and lived among us on earth, He transformed the lives of everyone who encountered Him. He was “Walking Redemptive Love.” When we embrace Him in His fullness our relationship with Him is enriched. 

If Trees Could Talk

Crape Myrtle

 Poet Khalil Gibran once wrote, “Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.” Sixty thousand species of  these  “poems” grow on our planet.

 The trees have messages that can build us up in our   walk with the Lord and how He designed us. In 1   Corinthians 12:12-27, the Apostle Paul gives us a   roadmap that describes the body of believers, one in   Christ yet with many parts. His roadmap reminds us   that just like our human body, we all need each other.

In this important passage Paul lists clear examples. In verses 21-23 he writes, “ The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without.” 

The passage goes on to say, “God has placed each part in the body just as He wanted it to be.  If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body?  As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.”   The point is that God has created each one of us uniquely. Each with a different fingerprint. Distinct yet essential giftings. He values us and has designed a place in His family. A place to belong. A place to reach out to others. A purpose in life. A special role.

If trees could talk, what would they tell us about themselves?

Date Trees in Israel

A crape myrtle shows off its flowers providing beauty for our eyes. In the autumn, gingko trees burst out in brilliant golden beauty. Consider date trees with their delicious bounty. Or a walnut tree producing edible nuts. Weeping willows shade us from the sun.  For recreation, children climb sturdy oaks and swing from their branches. Pine tree wood builds homes and the wood of poplar trees is used for musical instruments and surf boards. 

Israeli Olive Trees

Many trees are also symbolic. The dogwood tree with its springtime cross-shaped flowers reminds us of Jesus' sacrificial love.  The olive tree not only produces olives but is a profound symbol of unity where gentiles are grafted into the ancient faith of the Jews.  Each tree has something special to offer.

If you have one of those days where you feel useless or wonder about your purpose in life or feel insignificant, and even comparing yourself to others, re-read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 asking the Lord to inform your thoughts. Think of the trees and the vast and varying purposes of their existence.  

Most of all, remember....each of us are "poems that God writes." 

Friendship-A Visit with the Greats

A friend loaned me a book recently that I truly enjoyed; 

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War. 

It’s beautifully written by its author Joseph Laconte who explores the writing and faith of two legendary, brilliant Christian writers of the 20th century; C.S.Lewis and J.R.R.Tolkien. 

Laconte wraps his book-and theirs-into the context of World War I, called by many The Great War which literally and horrifically changed the course of human history. Both Lewis and Tolkien served as British soldiers. On and off, they lived and taught at Oxford and enjoyed a close friendship for years. 

 

Most well-known are Lewis’s books for children, The Chronicles of Narnia and his profound,engaging theological books like Mere Christianity & The Screwtape Letters. Tolkien is best known for The Hobbit & Fellowship of the Ring.

Leconte’s book is full of excellent quotes not only from the books I mentioned but from historians, philosophers, and theologians.  I was struck by a few of the quotes which are descriptions of true friendships. 

As you read these quotes, I hope your thoughts, like mine, will verify the ultimate friendship of our Savior Jesus Who gave Himself for us. He is our Way Maker offering us new life and irreplaceable,treasured friendship with Him and others. 

**”Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” (Gimli, an honorable Dwarf Warrior in Tolkien’s Hobbit.) And surely Jesus is faithful and is always by our side in the darkness. 

 **”The bible contains divine thoughts about men, not human thoughts about God.”(Karl Barth, Swiss Theologian)

Barth’s perspective is a reminder about God’s vast love for us repeatedly expressed in the Older and New Testaments.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the quotes. Maybe you’ll revisit Lewis and Tolkien and offer a prayer of thanks to our Lord for His unconditional love and the blessing of having friends.

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” 

—Walter Winchell, Columnist and radio news commentator (1897-1972)