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14 So sing, Daughter Zion! Raise the rafters, Israel! Daughter Jerusalem, be happy! celebrate! 15 God has reversed his judgments against you and sent your enemies off chasing their tails. From now on, God is Israel's king, in charge at the center. There's nothing to fear from evil ever again! God Is Present Among You 16 Jerusalem will be told: "Don't be afraid. Dear Zion, don't despair. 17 Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he'll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs. 18 "The accumulated sorrows of your exile will dissipate. I, your God, will get rid of them for you. You've carried those burdens long enough. 19 At the same time, I'll get rid of all those who've made your life miserable. I'll heal the maimed; I'll bring home the homeless. In the very countries where they were hated they will be venerated. 20 On Judgment Day I'll bring you back home - a great family gathering! You'll be famous and honored all over the world. You'll see it with your own eyes - all those painful partings turned into reunions!" God's Promise. (Zephaniah 3:14-20 The Message Bible)
A blessed and joyous Wednesday ConCafe Family! May the Advent joys prepare you, dear Friend, for Christmas blessings and love! Again, we pray for those in need; those who need healing, food, shelter, housing, be our prayer to the Lord. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.
Many of us, thank God, have never been exiled. Well, forcibly that it; some of us at one time or another have been in other parts of the country that may as well been in another country if not continent. Some of you may have served in the military and spent time training in another state, then deployed to another country. I always remember the young man from Bishop, Texas, who joined the US Navy with hopes of seeing the world and war, during WWII, and found that the Navy sent him six miles south to Kingsville, where he was trained and then stationed. So much for seeing the world! But one can only imagine the pain of being separated from family and home due to war, conflict, or other unwanted actions against you. Such was the history of Israel. Enemy armies would invade, conquer and haul off captives to become their servants and other things. The experiences became part of the national memory and all identified wtih the emotions associated with exile. On another level the experiences of daily life, such as illness, poverty, hunger, fear, and death, all added to the feelings of despair and hopelessness to which God respnded with the Advent of the Christ Child.
The prophet Zephaniah shares God's promises in this prophecy; Your enemies will be defeated, and God will once again rule Israel. Your fear of evil need leave, for God is here. I had a dear church member in Misison when facing open-heart surgery told me as I concluded my prayer with him; "There's no need to fear! God is here!" Amen!
The prophecy mentions a "Strong Warrior" coming to be among them, whose purpose would be to save the people. His will be a calming presence, a loving presence, and bring rejoicing in songs of praise. And the prophet has God saying, "The accumulated sorrows of your exile will dissipate. I, your God, will get rid of them for you. You've carried those burdens long enough." And, God continues, "At the same time, I'll get rid of all those who've made your life miserable. I'll heal the maimed; I'll bring home the homeless. In the very countries where they were hated they will be venerated." And the greatest promise of all, "On Judgment Day I'll bring you back home - a great family gathering!" This weekend, a dear friend and brother in Christ and ministry, The Rev. David Grout flew down from Northern Kentucky to be with the Gaytan family. David's grandfather, who years ago, was the president of Lydia Patterson Institute, took Rev. Francisco Gaytan in, introduced him to his wife, Elisa, and wanted to adopt Pancho as his own; but Pancho's dad opposed the adoption, but adoption in love took place, and Pancho was very much David and his siblings' uncle. Tio Pancho was mourned by all of the family. But on his flight down from Dallas here there were four or five families in the tiny jet on their way for a family gathering. At first, David was elated to see the joy and love on their faces, and rejoiced in their conversation. But the conversations grew louder and louder, and soon he couldn't even hear the jet engines from the roar of the families in their joy; and could not take a nap as he needed. David also rejoiced in his image of Pancho's reunion in Heaven with Poppa and Momma Grout, his "brothers," Paul and Ted, and their wives; all gathered, as God promised, for a "great family gathering!"
The closing verses proclaim, "You'll be famous and honored all over the world. You'll see it with your own eyes - all those painful partings turned into reunions!' God's Promise!" Amen! May we live and die in walking in the way of the Lord.
PRAYER: Father, we long for family reunions, both now and in the world to come. Grant us hearts for loving and serving everyone, epecially those no one else wants or sees; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Where can you start a family reunion among those you do not yet know? Get started!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
