November 4, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“’[On that Day] there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name. It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure. ‘” (Zechariah 14.6-7, 9, 11)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

We get a similar description of the abiding place of the people of God in the Book of The Revelation to John. This holy habitation will truly be unique from any in the whole of creation. Much is often said about uniformity, conformity and unity when it comes to being a part of the community of faith in the world but not of it. Those elements speak of such a vision from the human perspective. We see the scriptural description of the “body of Christ” in its many parts collaboratively working together as “one body” to complete the image of authentic life with Christ as the head of “that body.” Indeed, in this world that ought to be the case. We should be cognizant of our uniqueness as God has created us to serve our purpose in the whole of creation. We were never intended to exist apart from each other. We were never intended to be islands unto ourselves. Even islands are grounded, literally, to the earth from which they came. Do we think that our lives are to be any different from that? Are we not truly alive when we are “grounded” to the source of life from which we came? And this is part of that great misunderstanding which says “that we are not created by God but rather by some cosmic accident or happenstance.” Such a thought casts us afloat in the universe to become random voyagers through space. Such is not the case as astronomers are apt to make known. We are always in relationship with other “bodies” of cosmic objects. Even a rogue object interacts and reacts with those other objects. In the words of a 60’s song “No man is an island, no man stands alone.” That song was inspired by John Donne’s poem written during the late English Rennaissance. Further evidence of the cause and effect of “the word.” Mighty ones of God, we are evidence of such cause and effort of “the Word.” In this world we are not intended to conform and become so similar that we lose our identity with which we were created originally. We are not to become so uniform that there is no diversity. But, because we exist in a world that has been tempered, or should I suggest- tampered, with sin, we may well miss the mark of the true identity from which and for which we were created.

Pause for a moment and consider the “diversity” which currently exists in this world. The claim of some is that life as it is now is the result of who God is. The confusion of gender, race and relationships are the evidences of God’s initial and intentional creation. The push by many to maintain and accelerate these differences will have a most certain end. That end will not promote diversity but collapse upon itself as conformity and uniformity. There will be such a singularity that the evidence will speak of something totally opposite from the intent of God’s creation. Again, all of this is created by the vision of humanity in the world. What is made visible in Zechariah comes from the aspect of God’s vision. There will be such a uniqueness from all the rest of creation that we may not be capable of truly grasping it. You can read the whole of verses 6-11 in chapter 14 for yourself. As you do there is no doubt the mind will attempt to wrap itself around the vision but with reference to our worldly experience, it may prove difficult to conceive of it. Nonetheless, it will exist. It will exist as surely as Christ will come again in, on and through the clouds. As He breaks through the shadows which they have long cast upon the earth, what exists behind them in the Kingdom of God will be fully revealed. If we thought we had seen clear skies, then we have not yet seen what God’s eye has seen nor heard what God’s ears have heard. It will be a day like no other. It will stand in stark contrast to the dark reality so unique that light and life cannot live within it but it will have a life of its own: uniform, conformed and consuming. The choice seems clear as to how the world is operating today “labeling lies as truths and wrong as rights.” That would mean it is labeling “dark as light [enlightened] and light as dark [ignorance].” Holding on to what is true and enlightened by the Spirit of God will give the believer citizenship within the kingdom of God (this world is not our ultimate home) and enduring hope (God works all things together for good).

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit in order that others be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind so we would know we are Your people and You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.