Return to the Lord
Zechariah 1
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 3) "Tell the people, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: Return to me, declares the LORD Almighty, and I will return to you, says the LORD Almighty.' "
My Thoughts
We are all sometimes further from God than we would like to be. At the time Zechariah is speaking here, the people's ancestors were the object of God's anger and God wanted them to turn back to Him so that they wouldn't incur God's wrath as well. So God told Zechariah to tell the people to return to Him.
Numerous times God had told the Israelites to turn from their evil ways and return to Him, and yet, they did not listen. So eventually, God did what He said He would do and then the people realized that they should have listened before. We do not want to be like them.
To be far from God doesn't have to mean that, in that time, you don't believe in Him anymore or that you haven't prayed in a long time. That is far from God, yes, but so is whenever we sin. We all do and we all have. This means that we can be far from God for as little as five minutes. All it takes to be close to God again is to repent and ask for forgiveness and to accept that forgiveness.
God says that if we return to Him, He will return to us. Wait a second... I thought God said that He would never leave us or forsake us? Yes, that's still true. God is always with us, no matter what. When we are far from God and are not living in His presence and in His Spirit, God is still with us. His blessings are not because He will not reward us for disobedience. That is what this is meaning, I believe.
God is merciful, forgiving and loving. Wherever you are in spirit, in life. It does not matter. If you accept God's love and forgiveness, then know that you have received it. Even if you don't accept it, God still loves you. If you are worried or you think that God can't possibly accept you back, then you need to know that He can.
Numerous times God had told the Israelites to turn from their evil ways and return to Him, and yet, they did not listen. So eventually, God did what He said He would do and then the people realized that they should have listened before. We do not want to be like them.
To be far from God doesn't have to mean that, in that time, you don't believe in Him anymore or that you haven't prayed in a long time. That is far from God, yes, but so is whenever we sin. We all do and we all have. This means that we can be far from God for as little as five minutes. All it takes to be close to God again is to repent and ask for forgiveness and to accept that forgiveness.
God says that if we return to Him, He will return to us. Wait a second... I thought God said that He would never leave us or forsake us? Yes, that's still true. God is always with us, no matter what. When we are far from God and are not living in His presence and in His Spirit, God is still with us. His blessings are not because He will not reward us for disobedience. That is what this is meaning, I believe.
God is merciful, forgiving and loving. Wherever you are in spirit, in life. It does not matter. If you accept God's love and forgiveness, then know that you have received it. Even if you don't accept it, God still loves you. If you are worried or you think that God can't possibly accept you back, then you need to know that He can.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
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