A New Day Dawns

One of the catch-cries in Israel during the days of the prophets was "the Day of the Lord". It was to be a time when God would indeed reign over His people in justice and righteousness, and they would know peace and prosperity. The people of Israel yearned for it, and prayed for it. There were times - of national prosperity, when there were some who proclaimed its arrival.

When you read through the prophets, you will find this phrase used often, mostly to announce the judgment of God upon His people. "Wail, for the day of the Lord is near!" cries Isaiah, "It will come as destruction from the Almighty" (Is 13:6). The people of Israel found that their longed-for day brought the very opposite of what they sought. The prophets used it to admonish the people for practices which contrary to what God desires for His people. The Day of the Lord was a day of change, a day of new directions. It was a new day, bringing in God's new ways.

We do wrong to say that, as a church, the "Day of the Lord" is coming for us, as we approach the beginning of the ministry of our new senior pastor. However, the principle remains for us that we are an the verge of a new era as God's people bearing witness here in Mitcham. WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR CHANGE. New challenges face us each year - each day - as we seek to serve our God. We must constantly be on the lookout for new ways to express cur faith to the world around us, as well as new ways to express our love for God - new ways which grow out of and alongside the traditions that we have grown up and feel comfortable with.

One suspects that "the Day of the Lord" was either good news or bad news to the Israelites of old, depending an their willingness to accept the new things that God was doing in their midst. The challenge is for us to detect the wind of the Spirit, and allow Him to move us along.

Gary
Junne 16 , 1991
 
Home
To the Discipleship Index
To the next article

feedback to the author