Corona Devo 134
Household gods give worthless advice, fortune-tellers predict only lies,
and interpreters of dreams pronounce falsehoods that give no comfort.So my people are wandering like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no shepherd. ~Zechariah 10:2
What do "household gods", "fortune-tellers", and "interpreters of dreams" have to do with us?
Could a Biblical prophet (Zechariah), who was ranting to his friends and neighbors 2,000 years ago about their wandering relationship with God have any relevance in our 21st century modern-day lives?
God says "Yes".
His Word is alive. It never grows stale, or out-of-date and what God says is consistently relevant. How is that possible? Because God is always present and relevant with us, and with all of the "us's" before us. In the book of Exodus, when Moses asked what to "call" God, God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14). God is, God was, and God will always be.
And He is right here next to us today. He is approachable and available, and yearning for a relationship and closeness with us. But where do we go instead for advice and comfort?
Household gods give worthless advice... ~Zechariah 10:2
Consider the "household gods" that we are seeking advice from: screens.
TV, computer and phone screens that we pay hourly homage to, and sometimes minute to minute. Back in Daniel's day (Daniel in the lion's den), religious Jews would cease their daily activity and pray 3 times a day to God. If you want to shock yourself, consider how many times a day we "check our phones", and then compare that to the number of times we pray to the Lord, consider God, or "check in with Him" in a day. Is it lopsided?
If a screen is the first thing we wake-up and look at, and a screen is the last thing we shut down before we shut our eyes: I think we can accurately say that media has become a "household god" to us.
The other reality of "household gods" is that they give worthless advice... (Zechariah 10:2). The Bible holds truths and remedies for all that we encounter, struggle with and rejoice over. The world's advice is usually the opposite of God's: Serve only ourselves, fulfill our own desires/forsake others, and living for the moment will never bring lasting fulfillment or purpose. And yet society preaches and encourages it. God's ways and advice are for our (and other's) good, and nothing in the Lord's word is worthless advice.
fortune-tellers predict only lies...Zechariah 10:2
The interesting thing is that we have an internal yearning for someone to "direct our paths", or tell us what is coming down-the-line. I am honest enough to say that I have paid the $5 for a 5-minute fortune on some Summer boardwalk when I was younger. I see now how frivolous that choice was, and dangerous.
We want to be the boss of our lives and know all that will occur. We always have. That's why Adam and Eve fell for the apple--they wanted to know their futures--their fortunes. But the serpent predicted only lies. There is no basis or fruit to any of the "fortune-tellers" that we reach out to for guidance. If you peruse the daily horoscopes to see "what kind of day you will have": Stop. Only the Lord Jesus Christ is in authority over us and our days--allow Him that authority, and do not open the door to anyone or anything else guiding your steps. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
and interpreters of dreams pronounce falsehoods that give no comfort. ~Zechariah 10:2
If you are wondering what certain dreams mean in your life, or what steps to take as you move forward in life, or how to make it through one more day of your life: ask God. Pray to the One who created you and seek His counsel. There is no Truth like God, and only His Truth can accurately set our daily course. We do seek comfort, for our weariness and the burden of our travels through life. God directs our steps and comforts us along the way as well. Falsehoods...give no comfort.
So my people are wandering like lost sheep; ~Zechariah 10:2
Does anyone else feel like they are wandering? We can't find the path. We took our eyes off of the map for too long. We have been on auto-pilot in our lives, and we've missed quite a few exits.
they are attacked because they have no shepherd. ~Zechariah 10:2
No one wants to be vulnerable enough to say it, but we are being attacked. Our world's were rocked by Corona. Our schedules, norms and structures hit a brickwall and no-one warned us or has offered any help along the way, just bad news and worse news.
Our Nation is dissolving and no one is quite sure why or who is driving it. We are being attacked.
Church family and attendance was one of our strengths, and the lack of fellowship and teaching has attacked us.
Who knows if it is election-related, fear-related, or end-times related: but we are being attacked. because they have no shepherd. ~Zechariah 10:2
But we do. We absolutely do.
Not only do we have a Shepherd who lovingly guides, protects, and cares for us (I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ~John 10:11), but I love that 46 times Zechariah refers to God as "the Lord of Heaven's Armies".
We have a Shepherd and He is also mighty and He is the Lord of Heaven's Armies. He will fight for us, and He will defend and protect us against daily attacks. And He will give us daily advice that will bless and comfort us. Open your Bible.
Today, let's step away from the household idols, fortune-tellers and falsehoods that give no comfort, and let's kneel before our Good Shepherd to seek his counsel and comfort on our lives.
Blessings,
sarah
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