pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Jewels in a Crown

Reading: Zechariah 5-9

Zechariah 8:8 – “I’ll bring them back… They will be my people, and I will be their God — in truth and in righteousness.”

Today’s middle section of the book of Zechariah begins with the last three night visions. In the sixth vision a flying scroll announces a curse on all who steal and then lie about it. The curse will totally destroy their homes. The seventh vision identified wickedness as a tiny woman in a basket. She is sent home to Babylon. In the last vision Zechariah sees horses with chariots. They are sent out to patrol the earth. The ones going north (to Babylon) provide rest for God and God’s people. This allows Zechariah to gather gold and silver to make two crowns. With one he anoints Joshua as the high priest. The second will be for “Branch” – one who will build the temple, who will sit and rule. All of this will happen if they truly obey God.

In chapter 7 a delegation comes from Bethel asking about fasting. God basically asks, “Did you fast for me?” They have just been going through the motions, saying the words from before the exile. Hinting at the meaninglessness of this and using words reminiscent of Isaiah 58, Zechariah declares that God really wants to see just and faithful decisions, to see kindness and compassion as their norms. But instead, in the past, they chose to oppress the poor and vulnerable, to “steel” their hearts against God. So God scattered them.

Then in chapter 8 God declares compassion and passion for Zion. God has returned to Jerusalem. The old and the young will fill the city. God proclaims, “I’ll bring them back… They will be my people, and I will be their God — in truth and in righteousness.” Israel will become a blessing to the world. Nations will come, seeking God’s favor. After a sobering pronouncement against the nations around Israel, Zechariah prophesies a day when their king will come, “humble and riding on an ass.” He will speak peace and will rule “to the ends of the earth.” The Lord will deliver his people and they will “be the jewels in a crown dotting this land.” That will be the day!

Prayer: Lord God, as we read of our common struggles today and of our common tendency towards disobedience, we are also reminded of your grace and mercy in our moments of failure and of your ultimate plan to bring a full healing and restoration to your people and to your world. In the meantime, O God, use us as those “jewels,” reflecting and shining your light and love into the world. Amen.


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Pure and Upright

Reading: Proverbs 19 and 20

‭Proverbs 19:20 – “Listen to advice and accept instruction, so you might grow wise in the future.”

To choose to ignore wisdom is to choose to be a fool. Folly first of all corrupts the heart against God. That can lead a foolish son to be a “disaster to his father” and a “contentious wife” to feel like a “constant dripping.” Fools jump right into fights and they mock justice. Fools and liars will not escape. They will perish. Therefore the sage says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, so you might grow wise in the future.” Here one finds true life, contentment, and peace.

We seek and we enjoy these gifts. That is some of the reason that we plan. This is good to do but we are also reminded “the Lord’s purpose will succeed.” This is why we must never stop listening to wisdom and why we must never refuse discipline. When we do stop, we wander. The walk of faith is long and slow and steady. Advice for our walk comes from “the deep waters of the heart.” It requires long, slow, and steady care. With understanding we can draw from these waters, gaining wisdom and finding true life.

Listening closely and drawing deeply from wisdom allows us to apply it to our lives and to our living. Doing so we learn to restrain our anger and to walk away from senseless fights and to ignore an offense. We come to value wise speech as “the most precious jewel.” We grow to be gracious to the poor. We wait upon the Lord’s salvation. We learn to walk with integrity and honor. We, like our children, are known by our words and by our conduct. May we be pure and Upright, bringing glory and splendor to God.

Prayer: Lord God, today we see that all of who and what we are really matters. Guide us to walk as you call us to walk, clinging to wisdom and understanding and discipline, walking in your way. Keep our ears and hearts open to your guidance and your correction. Use our deeds and words to make your will and way known. Amen.


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Share His Love

Reading: Isaiah 40: 25-26

Verse 25: “Lift your eyes to the heavens: who created all these?”

When we look to the stars in heaven we begin to get a glimpse of God’s creativity and power. We can see stars so numerous that we cannot even begin to count them. With the aid of telescopes we have discovered that there are hundreds and hundreds of stars for each one we can see with the naked eye. The sheer number is hard to begin to understand. Our passage tells us that God “calls them each by name”. If God knows each by name and knows if one of them is missing, then God cares for His created order in an extraordinary way.

Then we bring our gaze a little lower, down to the earth. Here too we see the magnificent creative power of God as we consider the vast variety of plants and animals and sea creatures and so on. Each is created for a specific purpose and place in God’s world. Just like the stars, God knows them all. The care with which God created and ordered the world reveals not only power and might but it also reveals a deep love for His creation.

If we lift our gaze to the mirror, we see the crown jewel of God’s creation. You, I, and every person that has lived, is alive, and will ever live are created in God’s image. We are each uniquely and wonderfully made. We each have a spark of the divine in us that ever calls us to our creator God. This connection to God is what allows us see beauty and value and worth in creation and in each other. It is what calls us to care for creation and to love on another.

Our care and love are imperfect. Compared to God’s love and care, ours is limited and sometimes self-serving. Sometimes we love self far more than anything else. But God did not create us to be perfect. He created us to pursue perfection. In this pursuit, our model is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Jesus showed us what God’s love looked like lived out. This day, may we delve into Jesus’ love and go forth to share that love with our family, friends, and neighbors. It is a love that can change hearts and can change lives. May we share it well today.