November 24

Zechariah 8
I didn’t realize how blessed I was to grow up when and where I did. Born in 1955, my parents moved to Glencoe, Oklahoma in the summer of 1962. Glencoe had about 280 people in the town limits. The whole school system, first grade through 12th grade had barely 200 students. It was mostly a farming community or people who had jobs in the “big city” (lol) of Stillwater about 15 miles away. I had two guys my age that lived in the town limits. We could play in the streets in safety and often did. If we were bored with the streets, we were less than blocks away from the countryside and woods. Life was relaxed. It was an idyllic world! In the summer of 1967 we moved to Stillwater. Although I could no longer play in the street (my parents lived on a major thoroughfare), it was, none-the-less, a pleasant place for me to grow up. With all the accoutrements of a major university, OSU, it still had the feel of a small town. The main advantages were security and prosperity.
Jerusalem lost both security and prosperity when the Babylonians came. Indeed, she lost everything. Even under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua she was neither secure nor prosperous. But the Lord points to a time when she will have a King who will restore both. It will be under the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. He Himself shall reign in Jerusalem. His beauty will be so evident that people from all over the world will come there to pray and seek Him. Once again children will play in the streets. If we kneel before Him, He brings true peace and prosperity for eternity. Oh may that day come soon. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the little bit of security and prosperity I enjoyed as a child. However, I am more thankful for the coming security and prosperity that will be when He returns! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john