Isn’t it amazing how God’s love and compassion can be graciously awakened in favour of his redeemed people?
Like the father of the prodigal son, God’s heart reaches out to his erring children who are out there in the “wilderness” as a result of their transgresstions.
When the children of Israel suffered under the strong hands of their oppressors, many of them would have thought that God had abandoned them.
They would have remembered with nostalgia stories they had heard of God’s mighty intervention on behalf of His people of old.
No doubt a good number of them would have seen their “misfortune” in the supposed to light of God’s dwindling interest
in the affairs of his people or even perhaps his wakening power in the face of the “mighty world powers” under whom they are suffering.
Zechariah 1:7-21
7. leventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
11 And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
12 Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
13 And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
18 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
20 And the Lord shewed me four carpenters.
21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
The above passage is very comforting indeed. In the first place, God is still all – powerful.
The situation under which you groan may seem unbearable or the world around you may seem to be crumbling.
Please, remember that as long as the lord is on the throne your situation is not hopless. If he has hit you with his right hand, the left
hand is there to draw you to Himself, let not the tears you shared today,or the pains you
bear blind you to the fact that there is a father up above looking down in tender Love and saying: come to me and I will give you rest.
He is always the one in charge and his love for you will never let you go!
His purpose will ripen fast
unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower.
Prayer
Loving father, it is refreshing to know that my pains and anguish are not beyond your power.
Help me to return to your ever open arms where I will find lasting peace, joy and comfort in Jesus name….. amen.
Shalom…
Also read this..
Sin always results in punishment(Zechariah 1:1-6)
God in the ordinary things of life