Zechariah 7:9-10  “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’”

The Lord is here having Zechariah quote what He had said many times through many different prophets. Occasionally God says something new for a specific situation, but reading through the Bible, He has been remarkably consistent, not just for the 1000+ years it took for the Bible to be written, but all the way through to today. In a way, that was why it was so shocking when Jesus appeared and said, “The prophecies have been fulfilled. I’m here.” (Luke 4:21) Those hearing Him were just expecting business as usual. The problem with that was that they weren’t really doing what the Lord had already said. This brings to mind the story of the church that called a new preach­er. After the first Sunday several people complimented him on the sermon, but then the next Sunday he preached exactly the same sermon. After the third Sunday of the same sermon, some people came to him about it, pointing out that it was the same sermon. His response? “I know it. And when you start doing what I said, I’ll go on to the next message.” I think God does that a lot! It’s hardly logical to ask God for guidance if we’re not doing what He has already said to us. And the Bible isn’t a book of formalities and ceremonies. It mentions some of those, particularly in the Old Testament, but the Pharisees of Jesus’ day had those down pat, yet their hearts were far from God. Every ceremony, every rule mentioned in Leviticus, for example, is a tool to help us turn our hearts to God and walk in the abundance He intends for us. However, if we just go through the motions and fail to open our hearts to Him, it’s meaningless. The things God had Zechariah repeat to the people aren’t religious, they are expressions of loving your neighbor as yourself, and Jesus said that was the 2^nd greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:39) Genuine faith is intensely practical or it’s not faith at all, it’s just philosophy. God’s message to us from Genesis through Revelation is to come to Him and give Him our heart, in full humility and surrender. If we will do that, we will express love not only to Him but to everyone around us, for His glory.

This is something of which I have only become more convinced throughout my life. As I say frequently, James 1:22 was written for me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Having acquired head knowledge of the Bible at a young age, my life has been a succession of lessons in applying it, understanding that it’s practical and not academic. I have discovered that I’m very good at deceiving myself! There will always be places I don’t understand fully, but I have the assurance that someday I will. (1 Corinthians 13:12) Until then, I am to focus on applying the truth that God has written into my heart, so that others too may repent and believe, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed apply Your Word in every area of my life, not deceiving myself or anyone else, but proclaiming Christ in word and action, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!