PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Zephaniah 3:14-20 Return from Babylon

Time to Reflect: The future event of this passage is, today, a past event. The restoration of Jerusalem and the return of the people from the Babylon Captivity (verse 20), happened in the 6^th century B.C.E. (B.C.) The promise was fulfilled. This helps us to come to trust the promises of God. Of course the people became unfaithful again (and again) and new cycles of loss and redemption occurred. The once and for all promise, of course is Jesus, the Messiah.

Moving Through the Day:The Bible isn't all just ancient history, nor is it all predictions of the future. It is God's Word to all generations. Meditate on what this means to you.

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:14-20

A Song of Joy

14Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
   shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
   O daughter Jerusalem!
15The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
   he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
   you shall fear disaster no more.
16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
   do not let your hands grow weak.
17The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
   a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
   he will renew you* in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
18   as on a day of festival.*
I will remove disaster from you,*
   so that you will not bear reproach for it.
19I will deal with all your oppressors
   at that time.
And I will save the lame
   and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
   and renown in all the earth.
20At that time I will bring you home,
   at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
   among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
   before your eyes, says the Lord.