Authority. It’s one of those words we love and hate. We love it in relation to others: “When the neighbors kept lighting fireworks past 11 p.m., thank goodness the authorities ordered them to stop.” But we hate it in relation to ourselves: “When I turned my front yard into an alpaca farm, the authorities ordered […]
We want our food fast—and our downloads faster. We want new smart phones and new computers because new means faster. We want to watch our favorite movies and TV shows “on demand.” We want Amazon and FedEx and UPS to deliver our stuff by the next day—or better yet, today. And the boss needs that […]
Devotional thoughts on Zephaniah 3:9-14, 20 By Alan Dowd There’s no doubt that the book of Zephaniah is about God’s judgment, his “fierce anger” with a wayward world, his punishing and purifying “fire” for sin (Zephaniah 3:8). But Zephaniah’s contribution to Scripture is also about love, mercy, and the promise of a world made right. […]
Devotional thoughts on Zephaniah 3:1-8 By Alan Dowd Zephaniah wrote about God’s beloved city—Jerusalem—which had veered far away from its true King. What was once the holy city had become “rebellious” and “defiled.” Jerusalem, seduced by godless people, “accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord, she does not draw near to her […]
Devotional thoughts on Zephaniah 1:4-6, 14-16; 2:3 By Alan Dowd It may be easy to dismiss Zephaniah’s words. After all, none of us worship Baal or Molek or go up to the roof to praise the moon and stars. But how often do we place other things—money, the world, self—ahead of the one true God? […]
