Daily Reading
Daily Thought
The word of the Lord comes to his prophet often in dreams: “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses” (Zechariah 1:8). This is the first of eight visions Zechariah records as he begins his book: four horns scattered by four blacksmiths; a man with a measuring tape sizing up Jerusalem; Joshua the priest in filthy garments made clean; a golden lamp stand with seven lamps; a flying scroll, twenty cubits long; a woman in a basket carried by two women with wings; and four chariots led by red and black and white and spotted horses. Israel marveled at these visions and wondered at their meaning. Was the answer to their fears somewhere in these cloudy visions: Did God still care about Israel? Do they have a future in God’s plans?
Then, as if clearing his throat, God speaks plainly through Zechariah, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart’” (Zechariah 7:9-10). This is the answer. This is God’s will for your life. The dreams may speak to Israel’s future but these clear words speak to today.
I am reminded of something Mark Twain is said to have said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” It is our disobedience to the clear words of God that lead to our troubles. Israel feared God was no longer listening. Their fear was justified: “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear” (Zechariah 7:13).
How often we bring our troubles to God and wonder if he is listening when it is we who did not listen to him that led to our troubles in the first place.
Daily Prayer
God, it is so good to talk with You and I know You listen, not because I obey everything You say, but because Your Son did. He fulfilled all righteousness and through Jesus, I can sit next to You and bring you my troubles and my joys. I share my life with You because You gave Your life for me.
I obey now, not because I have to, but because I want to. You keep changing me to be more like You. More and more I want the things You want. May Your desires become my desires. May I be like You and may others see what You are like by what I do.
Amen
Daily Question
What is God’s will for your life?