Jesus’ letter to the church in Laodicea delivers an indictment of what is wrong, instruction for how to fix it, and an invitation to something better. If we will listen, Jesus is inviting us to let go of our self-sufficiency, turn to him for what we really need, and do life in fellowship with him. We need Jesus!

When life is hard and God seems silent, it can make you wonder if he really cares or if he is even there. In the middle of pain and heartache, learning to lament protects our heart from the temptation to cynicism and unbelief and opens the door to deeper intimacy with God instead.

Zephaniah’s “Christmas card” offers a brief glimpse into the expansive beauty of the gospel. God is both the just judge and the gracious savior. In Jesus, God has taken away the judgments against us—so we can sing and rejoice in his gift of salvation. And when we accept his gift, God himself rejoices and sings over us.