Time: December 4, 518 BC
What the Lord is Saying: Another message from the Lord to Zechariah. A delegation had come to Jerusalem (Sharezer and Regemmelech and their attendants) from Babylon. They had a question: should we continue to fast?
Did they understand why they were fasting? And were they doing it with the right motives? The answer that they are given gives the idea that fasting wasn't even what it was about, but they chose to fast.
Rituals are only of value when the heart is right. Our motives must be correct.
This makes me think about any act we do or discipline we attempt before the Lord. The act isn't what is important, but the attitude of our heart is what matters.
Here God gave feast days and then the people turned it into fasting, but they didn't fast with their heart, but instead to follow a ritual.
We do things, thinking we are being obedient, ask God for something, and then are surprised why we don't get it. Our heart is off. And our lives are wrong.
Did they understand why they were fasting? And were they doing it with the right motives? The answer that they are given gives the idea that fasting wasn't even what it was about, but they chose to fast.
Rituals are only of value when the heart is right. Our motives must be correct.
This makes me think about any act we do or discipline we attempt before the Lord. The act isn't what is important, but the attitude of our heart is what matters.
Here God gave feast days and then the people turned it into fasting, but they didn't fast with their heart, but instead to follow a ritual.
We do things, thinking we are being obedient, ask God for something, and then are surprised why we don't get it. Our heart is off. And our lives are wrong.
Promise: God is so concerned about our heart. When the heart is wrong, the ritual is wrong.
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