Sunday (2/5)

Zephaniah and Haggai are the focus of our reading and studying as part of the Your Faith Journey devotional this week. The two books are part of the Minor Prophets section of the Old Testament of The Bible, which is also referred to as “The Book of the Twelve.” According to the Overview of the prophetic book of Zephaniah in The New Interpreter’s Bible One Volume Commentary, “Zephaniah functions as the southern counterpart to Amos in the Book of the Twelve, with the bulk of the message pronouncing judgment against Judah (instead of Israel) and the nations…Like Amos, Zephaniah’s oracles against the nations essentially end with judgment against God’s own people. Zephaniah concludes with a series of promises, both for the world at large and for Zion…which depicts the Lord, not a Davidic monarch, as king of the restored Zion.”

 

The prophetic ministry of Haggai takes place after the collapse of the Babylonian Empire when the exiles of the Kingdom of Judah are living under the reign and rule of the Persian Emperor. The Temple of the Lord that had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C. continued laying in ruins for decades. The prophets’ message on behalf of God in 520 B.C. was to the governor of Judah and the priest of the Israelites serving in Jerusalem. The time had come for God’s house, the Temple, to be rebuilt so that God could “take pleasure in it and be honored” (Haggai 1:8 NRSV). Haggai’s message includes the promise of God’s blessings for his people once again (Haggai 2:19).

 

If you did not read the previous books of Genesis through Habakkuk in 2022 and 2023, you are encouraged to watch the Bible Project video about the Old Testament to have a clearer understanding of the full story within the text of the Hebrew Bible using the link below. The video summarizes the scriptures of the ancient Jewish people that became the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It is available on YouTube.

TaNaK/Old Testament by the Bible Project:

 

Below are some suggestions and questions to help you as you read scripture this week:

1. Approach scripture with humility. Seek to receive what the Bible reveals without trying to make it say what you want it to say.

2. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak a message to you through the verses you read.

3. What do these verses reveal about God?

4. What do these verses reveal about humanity?

5. What do these verses teach me about myself?

6. How do you see yourself in the story when reading biblical narratives?

Which of these characters would I be?

In what ways is their story similar to my story?

7. Read, study, and discuss the verses with another person or small group.

8. Use a Study Bible. The NIV, NRSV, ESV, and NLT Study Bibles are worth considering if you do not own one. There are a few available from the AUMC Library in the back of the Chapel. You can also purchase a Study Bible from ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury.com, or Amazon.com.

 

*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online for free.

 

 

Monday (2/6)

Read the verses from Zephaniah 3 that are below to begin your devotional time:

“Be glad and rejoice with all your heart…

the LORD himself, the King of Israel,

will live among you!

…He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” – Zephaniah 3:14b-17 NLT

 

If you did not watch it sometime during January, you are encouraged to

watch The Prophets video by the Bible Project that is available on Youtube as an overview of the prophetic writings and books of the Old Testament before you begin reading and studying two of the Minor Prophets this week:

The Prophets by the Bible Project

 

Consider watching the Overview: Zephaniah video on Youtube by the Bible Project fore beginning to read the verses today:

Overview: Zephaniah by the Bible Project

 

Read Zephaniah 1 and 2. If you are using a Study Bible, it will be helpful to read the Introduction for this book. As you read the verses for today invite the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s message to you through the biblical text.

 

Pray by being “silent before the Lord God” (Zephaniah 1:7 NRSV). Listen for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit. As you remain silent in God’s presence, think about how you are seeking to set yourself apart for God and his purposes today. “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15 NIV).

 

 

Tuesday (2/7)

Read Zephaniah 3:14b-17 as a reminder to rejoice and exult the Lord with all your heart because it was foretold that He would be in our midst, among his people.

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes or more alone with God silently listening for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit. If you struggle to listen, focus on the physical sounds you hear. The Spirit of the Lord can use the noises you hear to help you set your thoughts on the One who enables you to hear and perceive.

 

Read Zephaniah 3. You may find it helpful to choose questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time. If you are using a Study Bible, consider reading the study notes to understand the chapters more clearly.

 

Pray praising our God and rejoicing with all your heart knowing the Holy Spirit is in our midst. Yes, the Spirit of the living God is with us, around us, and in us.

 

 

Wednesday (2/8)

Read Zephaniah 3:14b-17, then let your mind linger on the thought of God rejoicing over you and renewing you in his love.

 

Consider watching the Overview: Haggai video on Youtube by the Bible Project before beginning to read the verses today:

Overview: Haggai by the Bible Project

 

Read Haggai 1. If you are using a Study Bible, it will be helpful to read the

Introduction for this book. As you read the verses for today invite the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s message to you through the biblical text.

 

Pray for the Church, including our local congregation, the United Methodist

denomination, and Christians throughout the world (Protestants, Catholics,

and Eastern Orthodox churches). Together, with believers throughout the world, we are being “built into a spiritual house” that includes each believer as one of the billions of bricks God is using for his temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:5 NRSV & 1 Corinthians 6:19).

 

 

Thursday (2/9)

Read Zephaniah 3:14b-17, then imagine God rejoicing over you with joyful songs.

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes or more alone with God silently listening. Be still physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritual, knowing that God is in charge and in control (Psalm 46:10). Don’t let your mind drift towards to-do-lists or tasks, but stop long enough to let your thoughts cease so that your only focus is being with the Lord.

 

Read Haggai 2:1-19. As you read the verses for today invite the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s message to you through the text.

 

Pray offering thanks to God now and throughout the day. Count your blessings by writing a list of at least 10 of them as you thank the Lord for each one. If writing a list of 10 blessing is easy, try writing a list of 20 or 30 blessings.

 

 

Friday (2/10)

Read Zephaniah 3:14b-17 as a reminder to be glad and rejoice in the Lord with all your heart.

 

Read Haggai 2:20-23. You may find it helpful to choose questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time. If you are using a Study Bible, consider reading the study notes to understand the chapters more clearly.

 

Pray through your day, including for the people you will be with or have been with, as well as what you will do or what you have done.

 

 

Saturday (2/11)

How are you going to remember and observe the Sabbath this weekend? The Sabbath is a day each week that is set apart from the others to stop, rest, worship, and delight in the Lord and what he has given us. Because of our very busy culture, which often includes over-scheduled lives, you may need to incrementally observe the Sabbath by setting aside an increasing portion of a day each week beginning with an hour, then increasing it to multiple hours or part of a day the next weekend, and eventually designating an entire day for remembering and observing the Sabbath.

 

Read Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus is letting you know that you will find rest in him. Rest from your weariness and burdens. Rest for your soul. Going along with Jesus’ invitation, our Sabbath theme for this weekend is “REST.”

 

• How will you respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come to me” today?

 

• What worries and burdens are you carrying that you can offer to Jesus in prayer?

 

• Taking Jesus’ yoke upon you means living according to King Jesus’ pace for life, with Christ as our Lord, not someone or something else. His “yoke is easy, and his burden is light.” How is Jesus’ pace and humble yoke different and light compared to the yoke or pace of others?

 

• Jesus is “gentle and humble in heart.” Let his gentleness calm and comfort you today so that you can experience the restoration that comes through rest.

 

• Trust Jesus to teach and guide you to become gentle and humble too.

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend ten, twenty, or thirty minutes alone with God seeking to rest in the peace that can only be found in and from the Lord. If you struggle to stop and rest, consider laying down, kneeling, or sitting on a very comfortable chair or seat. If you need a nap, then sleep so that your mind and body receive the rest that you need.

 

Read Leviticus 23:3.

• Which day this weekend are you setting apart from the other six of the week so that you can rest and observe the Sabbath?

 

• Will you be joining others for a “sacred assembly” during a worship service this weekend? If not, why? What preparation do you need to do to be ready to gather with God’s people to offer yourself to the Lord in praise and thanksgiving.

 

• Is it difficult or easy for you to set aside a day to rest? If it is difficult, what would make it easier and more likely to happen next week?

 

Pray and live in response to Jesus. Lift your burdens and worries to him in prayer. Ask Christ to help you to learn from him and his way of living (Matt. 11:29). You may find it helpful to use the words from the verses you read today as a guide for your prayer.