And In Truth

And In Truth

Bible: Zephaniah 1:1-6; 2:1-3

In his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing (ZEPHANIAH 3:17).

I went to a wedding where two people from different countries got married. Such a mix of cultures can be great, but this ceremony included Christian beliefs mixed with beliefs from another religion. Zephaniah clearly rejected the mixing of other religions with trust in the one true God. The people of Judah worshipped God, but they had also started to rely on the fake god Molek (ZEPH. 1:5). Zephaniah described how they had started to copy the ways of the countries around them who didn’t know God (V.8), and warned that as a result God would remove the people of Judah from their homes.

Yet God never stopped loving His people. His judgement was to show them their need to turn back to Him. So Zephaniah encouraged Judah to “Seek righteousness, seek humility” (2:3). Then God gave them kind words promising a future rescue: “At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home” (3:20).

It’s easy to judge obvious examples of ‘mixed’ religions, like the wedding I went to. But in reality, all of us easily blend God’s truth with the way people around us live and think. We need the Holy Spirit’s guidance to test our beliefs against the truth of the Bible. And then to stand for that truth confidently and with love. Our Father welcomes anyone who gives up all other gods, religions and ways to follow Him alone (SEE JOHN 4:23-24).

To Think About…

When you are in trouble, where do you turn? Problems often show us where we put our trust. Do you bring your problems to God first? Or is there something or someone else you’ve ‘mixed’ into your dependence on God?

GOD IS ALWAYS READY TO FORGIVE US AND HELP US MOVE FORWARD.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries