Corona Devo 3192

Yesterday was yesterday for us: Leave it.

Yesterday was yesterday for our relatives (ancestors): We can't change things for them.

Today is today: Our faith destiny begins today.

~~~

Yesterday was yesterday for us: Leave it. 

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. (10) Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  
(11) “No one, sir,” she said.  
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  ~John 8:9-13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  ~2 Corinthians 5:17

Yesterday was yesterday for our relatives (ancestors): We can't change things for them.

In November of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo: (2) “I, the Lord, was very angry with your ancestors... (4) Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’  ~Zechariah 1:1-2, 4

Today is today: Our faith destiny begins today.

Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ (4) Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’   ~Zechariah 1:3-4

Did we notice?  God states His position, His power, His might, and His authority three times in two verses (and twice in one sentence)!  

Did we notice Who God says (three times) that He is?  The Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Notice:

Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ (4) Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’   ~Zechariah 1:3-4

Why did God say it this way (and this often)?    ...so that we notice.  
Brothers and Sisters in Christ: we cannot forget Who and What our Lord is!  

He is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies(!), and He reminds us of it three times in two verses today.

What are we afraid of today?  We serve and are protected by the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Who is against us today?  We serve and are protected by the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

What's holding us back/down/captive today?  We serve and are protected by the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Do we want and need encouragement to be bold in God's Name and for His fame today?   We serve and are protected by the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Did we notice?  God says His Name and title three times to us today.  He IS the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!  

Today is today: Our faith destiny begins today, and we begin by returning to the Lord today.

‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’   ~Zechariah 1:3

Yesterday was yesterday for us: Leave it.
Yesterday was yesterday for our relatives (ancestors): We can't change things for them.
But, today is today: Our faith destiny begins today, and it begins with us returning to the Lord.

Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  ~Zechariah 1:3

What's in our way?  

What's in our head?

What's stopping our obedience or impeding our progress? 

Three times in two Bible verses the Lord establishes His authority and then gives us a command: Let's obey it today.  Let's obey Him today.  Let's return to Him today, and (no matter where we have been or who we have been) He promises that He will return to us.  

Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  ~Zechariah 1:3

~~~

From the wrong side of the faith-tracks, it can seem like a militant order: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (Zechariah 1:3).

But from the sinful/guilty/shame-filled and sick-and-tired of being sick-and-tired side of the tracks....it can seem like an undeserved promise: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (Zechariah 1:3).

Either way: the Lord of Heaven’s Armies makes His offer/request/plea/promise to us today: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (Zechariah 1:3).

Let's take Him up on it.

Let's return to Him in heart today.

Let's return to Him in mind today.

Let's return to Him in spirit today.

~~~

Yesterday was yesterday for us: Leave it.

Yesterday was yesterday for our relatives (ancestors): We can't change things for them.

Today is today: Our faith destiny begins today.

Yesterday was yesterday for us: Leave it, and let's return to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

~~~

Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’   ~Zechariah 1:3


Blessings, 

Sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Corona Devo 1065

Image
It’s never too late to turn to the Lord.   And--it’s never too late to turn back to the Lord.   Do we GET IT?   King Hezekiah GOT IT.   The people in his area (Israel) had not been following the Lord, and they had fallen away from the (God-ordained) traditions that the Lord had designed to connect His people with Himself,  like going to church (Temple), and like celebrating the festival of Passover.  So they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel...inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the  Lord , the God of Israel. The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in the Law ( 2 Chronicles 30:5). Hezekiah  invited the people back to church!  But how to get the word out? He  wrote letters of invitation to the people (2 Chronicles 30:1), but letters without delivery are dead messages.  Hezekiah needed to get the letters ... to God's people! At the king’s command, runners were...
Read more

Corona Devo 1063

Image
Ever been around boys (of any age)?  They don't concern themselves with talking about   other  boys...they are not (usually) comparative that way, and would prefer to be competitive instead.  They are often contented with jokes and sounds, rather than defaming other guys or discussing their shortfalls. But...ever been around women ( of any age )?  For some sinful reason, our conversations often seem to p ick-a-little, talk-a-little, pick some more and talk, talk, talk about other women.  We  simmer into a boil as we digress and regress into unbecoming chatter about   other  women.   It's a terrible habit and yet girls in elementary school don't need to be taught how and even elderly church biddies can't quite fully withdraw.  We all still fall to condemning others  from time to time.  We have this sinful draw to make ourselves feel good by chirping back and forth and making someone   else   feel bad. It's na...
Read more

Corona Devo 1064

Image
The earth is the   Lord ’s, and everything in it.   The world and all its people belong to him.   (2)  For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas  and built it on the ocean depths.   ~Psalm 24:1-2 We belong to Him, but also…our world belongs to Him: and  everything in it .   Everything.   Every tree and flower, every person, every pelican, everything. How are we responding to that glorious Truth today?   Can we praise Him today?  Can we acknowledge and absorb (and respond!) to the awesome Truth that we belong to Him :  the Creator of all things, and our Creator?   He laid the earth’s foundation ...and (even)  the earth  knows that it belongs to him ... Do we? Are we choosing to respond to Him today?   The trees do.    Looking out my window as I read these words of God, I saw these words  proven by God as n aked tree-branch arms were raised in praise of their Creat...
Read more