Thursday after the Last Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 25, 2021 by under
Scripture: Zephaniah 3:8-9 (NKJV)
3:8 “Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord, “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, all My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.
9 “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord.
Devotion
The Lord is telling his faithful to “wait for Me.” The wicked He mentions in verses two and three will be dealt with. His patience will come to an end for these devouring lions who harm His people.
We see this in our day; vicious anti-Christian men who delight in destroying everything good and Christ-like. Leaders and powerful persons throughout the world who stand against Christ will be overthrown. The sand in the hourglass is running out. God will gather all these nations together and pour out His wrath. Those who are His, and all His good creation, will be purified and transformed. The hardened, the wicked, will be consumed in His “fierce anger.” There is a judgment and all men will have to answer to God.
Then God will give His people a “pure language,” or literally a “pure lip,” to serve Him. We who are repentant and believe will not be destroyed, but transformed so that we may serve our God unencumbered by our sinful flesh. There will be peace within us, and we will be single-minded. And we will be at peace with our brothers and sisters because we will have perfect unity.
Prayer: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offenses; that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the End of the Church Year
We thank Thee, Lord God, Heavenly Father, that in the past church Year Thou hast preserved Thy Word among us in purity, and by it sensibly quickened our souls; and we beseech Thee, Thou wouldst graciously forgive us all our neglect, unbelief, and disobedience of Thy Word, and continue unto us this precious treasure with Thy blessing forevermore; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for a Day of Thanksgiving
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, Whose mercies are new unto us every morning, and Who, though we have in no wise deserved Thy goodness, dost abundantly provide for all our wants of body and soul: Give us, we pray Thee, Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily acknowledge Thy merciful goodness toward us, give thanks for all Thy benefits, and serve Thee in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
