What the Lord of Heaven’s Armies Says; Thoughts from Zechariah
Today’s Scriptures
Zechariah 2:13, Zechariah 3:10, Zechariah 4:6, Zechariah 8:6
Movement 1:
Read and meditate: Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling. Zechariah 2:13 NLT
Reflect: Humans talk... a lot. And talking to God is a good thing. He invites us to talk with Him, to bring everything to Him. But, He also invites and commands us to be silent before Him. Be silent with Him. To be in His presence, take Him in, reflect on His glory, and be in awe. Zechariah reminds us of this command and then explains why: God is springing into action. We have a God who is a mover and a shaker. He acts. But if we are always talking, we may miss His movement.
Center: Take 5-10 minutes, or longer if you wish, and be silent before the Lord. Then take another few minutes and ask Him, “Lord, where are you springing into action around me? Reveal your movement to me.” Then, listen.
Movement 2
Read and meditate: And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree. Zechariah 3:10 NLT
Reflect: Doesn’t this sound peaceful? Sitting with a neighbor under our own tree. And not just sitting, but sitting peacefully. This sounds inviting. This sounds like the Kingdom. However, He doesn’t make clear which neighbor it is that we have invited. It begs the question that’s been asked before in scripture: “Who is my neighbor?”. This could be a neighbor you know, love, and with whom you enjoy spending time. It could also be a neighbor you dislike, would describe as annoying, disagree with, or with whom you have had conflict. This could be a neighbor whose name you don’t even know.
Pray: Ask God, “Who is the neighbor you want me to sit with right now?” Then listen. Be open to names and faces he brings to mind. It may be one you are expecting and it maybe one you are not expecting.
Movement 3
Read and meditate: Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies”. Zechariah 4:6 NLT
Reflect: Think about the context/area/people group to which you are bringing the Good News. Sometimes, things in our contexts seem to move quickly. We see the “fruit” of our seed-planting labor and praise Him. Other times, things seem slow. We don’t think we see “fruit”. We begin to feel frustrated, sad, desperate. In both of these situations, it can be tempting to force things to happen. To do what we can to manufacture growth. Whether we see “fruit” or not, we can try to force more to grow. God reminds us through Zechariah that it is not by our force or strength that things happen. It is only by the movement of the Spirit. (*Note - if you do not know to whom you are called to bring His Good News, pause now and ask him! It is most likely somewhere you already engage with people - a people among whom you have a reason to be present.)
Pray: Think of a time you tried to manufacture growth. Repent and ask the Lord’s forgiveness. Think of a relationship in which you desire to see growth. Picture that person/situation in your mind. Open your hands as a symbol of giving this person/situation to the Lord. Ask His Holy Spirit to spring in to action and bring movement.
Movement 4
Read and meditate: This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Zechariah 8:6 NLT
Reflect: Look back at the first three verses in this prayer guide. One, two, or all three of them may seem impossible to you. Perhaps being silent before the Lord seems impossible. Maybe, as you reflect on the person God asked you to sit with, you think, “No way”. Or, as you consider movement in your context, the first thought is, “impossible”. It may seem impossible for us, but we must ask the question, “Is it impossible for God?”
Pray: Express to God the impossibility that creeps in as you consider the other three verses above. Tell Him how this makes you feel. Pour your heart out to Him. Then ask Him, “God what do you want me to know about this?” and “What do you want me to do?”. Listen.