April 6 - Timeless change

Zechariah 9:9-13

I cannot remember reading from this book before. I am surprised by this admission to. When I saw this was my assigned reading a few weeks ago, I began in chapter one and was immediately struck by the timeliness. Zechariah, a prophet of God begins by telling the Israelites who are returning from captivity, to not fall back into their old ways.

As I was reflecting on the instances of people helping each other out, in ways we have not experienced perhaps since 911, I was thinking how important it will be to use this time to change and to grow. Use this time to restore love to our lives, to our thinking, to our practices. Make love the norm, not the stunning surprise it can sometimes be today.

Moving to the ninth chapter and then reading prophetic words pointing to Psalm Sunday, I am again reminded that Jesus (love) came into the world when hate was everywhere. Jesus (Love) appeared on a donkey, not a grand steed. Jesus (Love) came to us as a Man of Peace, not a warrior ready to do battle. The only battle Jesus was waging was against Satan, against hate and against sin.

It feels like God is moving in ways we (I) have not seen before. He is working to get our attention and He is speaking to hearts with gentle loving words. How can we not be changed because of His life here with us. Now, how can we not be changed when this pandemic is past and we can once again interact.

This is a Lenten season we won't soon forget. Maybe we can make it memorable, a special if different time with Jesus.

Zechariah 9:9-13

I find foreshadowing so interesting.  The Bible is filled with instances where happenings in the New Testament are foretold in the Old Testament.  Verse 9 in the Zechariah text foretells of Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, Palm Sunday to us.  The verse that jumped off the page for me was verse 12

^"Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you."  (Zechariah 9:12 (NIV) 

Do you ever feel like a prisoner of hope?  Like one who clings to that hope daily and lavishes in the promises that hope provides for us, as Believers? Heaven is much more real to me now, having walked with my husband on the path to his eternal life.  After having shared with him, just how wonderful it will be when we find ourselves in the presence of God and experience life as we were meant to live it - in Paradise, I have peace.

That season of my life has reiterated and firmly ensconced the belief in my Hope, who is Jesus.  On the days when existing here on earth seems fruitless if not pointless, I call myself a prisoner of hope.  "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)

Read Zechariah 9:9-13 here
Listen to Zechariah 9:9-13 here