A Beautiful Day in God’s Neighborhood
4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
Did you notice what the Lord thought was marvelous? If the people there that are sitting around watching kids play in the street think it’s great, how much more so does God think it’s great!?
It’s not that God enjoys everything we enjoy. We can mess some stuff up pretty good.
But when people do the Lord’s will, He enjoys it. When they do the Lord’s will and see that it is good and pleasing to them too, He enjoys it even more!
God loves to help us find our delight, joy, and life in Him. That’s why some of the outcomes, or ‘fruits,’ of the Spirit are joy, peace, and patience. God wants to help us experience those things and He Himself has put His mindset, moods, worldview, and perspective into our own. He gives us the freedom to shut it all down and do things our way, but He also gives us the gift to live on a completely different level and do things God’s way.
So to sit on the porch and watch the children play as an active participation in the peace of God becomes an act of worship. To be old and full of stories of God’s faithfulness becomes an act of worship (even if none of those young kids want to stop and listen).
To see the good works of God as wonders…marvels…gracious miracles…is an act of worship. To linger and sit in the presence of God, continually reminding one another that we are His people and He is our God becomes a lifestyle of worship. This is the faithfulness and righteousness that comes as a result of living in the awareness and presence of Jesus every day, moment by moment.
If this is a day we are looking forward to, how much more is God looking forward and working His way toward it!
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