December 24
Zech 6:1-7:14 | PS 143:1-12 | Prov 30:24-28 | Rev 15:1-8
I grew up secular. I loved the holidays. Such memories. Thanksgiving had turkey and football games. Christmas had so many decorations and presents. Easter had Easter egg hunts, nice outfits, and those chocolate bunnies that I loved. In addition, our family always gathered together and there were laughs and good times. There were so many memories. There was the time when I was around 7 that my mother gave me the hefty bag filled with presents and the one filled with garbage and I mistakenly brought the garbage to be distributed, throwing out the presents. There was the time when I was allowed to open one present before everyone else, because of how much I would annoy everyone to get up early so that we could open them, and I chose the biggest present which was a winter coat, and there I sat with my coat on watching cartoons for the next few hours. What is wrong with this? Everything! These holidays are our holy days and where was God in our celebrations and in my mind. These days were set aside to ascribe worth to Him, to focus on Him, and my focus was on everything else, everything that was not Him. Many did go to church, but for most that was just something to get out of the way before the celebration actually begun. We should all honestly appraise our walk both during holidays and every other day. Is He the focus? If not readjustment is necessary.
We see a question raised in Zechariah 7:3, “They were to ask this question of the prophets and the priests at the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?” The holiday is called Tisha B’Av and is still celebrated to this day with fasting. The problem with this question was the question. Before we are too critical, here are some bad questions that we, the believers in Christ often ask: How often should I pray?, How often do I have to go to church?, How much time should I spend reading the Bible?, How much do I have to serve?, How much should I give?, etc. When the question is how much should I, or do I have to, there is a problem in the heart. This is religion, not relationship. Religion says you have to, relationship says you get to. God was not fooled by there question as we read in 7:4-6 (NKJV), “ Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?”
This is the problem, so much of what we do looks good, looks harmless, but in reality is done for ourselves, not God. What was intended to deepen our thoughts with Him, became nothing more than ritual and rote practice, with focus on ourselves and others. God desires a relationship, just like our spouses and children desire one. Consider how cold it would seem if we asked the questions: How much do I have to speak to my wife?, How much time do I have to spend with my children?, How often and how long must I speak with my parents? These questions would hurt our loved ones. So, make no mistake these questions that are so frequently asked hurt God, our Father. Just like any human relationship, He desires our heart. He wants us to want to spend time with Him. True love is never compulsory, it should come from a desire within each of us. May we spend some time meditating on this and truly offer God our best, not just today, but from this day and every day moving forward.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: