Zechariah 7:1-14 Who’s it For
The people send a question to the priest to ask of the Lord. “Do we continue on with old traditions?” God asks; “Who’s it for? Yourself or Me?”
Apparently, some of the ‘traditions’ and observances had made it through the exile. The people of Judah continued with the practices of observing, at least in part, appointed times of fasting. I can’t say for certain if these were God’s appointed times because I don’t know the ‘calendar of events’ that God set up for His people in His Laws.
What we DO know is that the people, at least those present in Judea, turned back to God and began following His Laws. The time that this question is being posed is 20-21 years after the first of the Jews were released back to their homeland. But God tells Zechariah that the people have been observing specific fasts for 70 years. Is this a general number because of the time spent in exile or is this a literal number because it took them 20 years into the exile before they submitted themselves to God’s will?
Either way, the people are asking if they should keep it up. Are they asking their question regarding this one specific feast at this time of the year, or ALL fasts? Instead of answering their question directly, God digs a little deeper. He wants them to examine their motivation. God doesn’t need to examine it because He already knows the answer to this question.
“Who are you doing it for? Are you fasting to get closer to Me, or are you trying to manipulate Me?” The ‘motivation’ behind the fasting is crucial to God. Your heart MUST be seeking Him and His presence, otherwise your ‘service’ is useless. It will NOT bring about the desired result.
Empty rituals hold no draw for God. And there are no “formulas” to make God move OUR way. There ARE things that He expects us to do BECAUSE we are His children. But doing these things will NOT obligate God to act how WE think He should; nor will they save us from our sins. ONLY Jesus can.
God didn’t tell the people not to fast, in answer to their question. Nor did He tell them to continue this regular fast. He simply said, “Where is your heart at when doing this?” That is the same question He ask us (me) when we come to Him as a ‘habit’ instead of desire. Don’t get me wrong! It is a GOOD thing to come to God on a regular basis as part of your daily routine. But if your reason for coming is just to ‘cross another item off your list’ or to impress others with your ‘spirituality’, then coming to Him is worse than useless.
God wants our hearts! His desire is to spend intimate time with us, even if it is only five minutes. If your heart is focused on Him, it is the BEST five minutes of ‘togetherness time’ imaginable. It is the MOST profitable time also. NOT A SECOND with Him is wasted time, when your heart is truly in it with His.
Father God, forgive me for the times when I come to you out of ‘obligation’ and leave my heart somewhere else. I LOVE that our time has become part of my day and that You help me find time each day for us. THANK YOU for speaking into my heart each time I surrender our time to You. THANK YOU for ALWAYS meeting me where I am; and moving me to where I need to be when I’m not already there.
