Day 318..."Bookends...Horrific Lamenting...One in Christ"

The third chapter of the Book of Zephaniah has two different messages as bookends. The chapter open with rebellion..."She listens to no voice;she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord;she does not draw near to her God." At the end there is more hope..."At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together;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. The Lamentations reading is horrific. Lamentations describes a gross, brutal, and total meltdown...an Armegedon with evil winning, as one image even has women eating their own children. I prefer reading about "Great is thy Faithfulness." Lamentations lives up to it's name today.

Paul writes about the oneness of Christ..."There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." He also says all we do is for the building up the Body of Christ. Christ is the Head of the Church. If I had one chapter to recommend about "getting church" it would be this one.