God gave Zechariah a message of encouragement for those who had been exiled in Babylon. In today’s blog article, I will extract three of his thoughts from their original context and apply them to our lives today.
The Apple of God’s Eye
When someone says that another person is the “apple of their eye,” it means that the person is dearly loved and highly valued by them.
This is God’s message to you: “Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye” (Zechariah 2.8).
If you ever wonder about your place in God’s scheme of things, here’s an illustration to help you understand how much God loves you.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
“And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10.29-31).
Jesus argued “from the lesser to the greater” in His parable. He pointed out that sparrows, which are both abundant and inexpensive, are well known to us. Indeed, my backyard is full of them, and I’ve paid for none of them.
Yet, God is intimately familiar with each of these sparrows and extends His care to them. He wants us to know that we are of infinitely greater value than all the sparrows we see.
Even when presented with illustrations like the one Jesus shared with his followers, some people struggle to believe that God could truly love them. This doubt may stem from childhood experiences or life events that have led them to feel unworthy of love from anyone.
For those who feel this way, I encourage you to turn to the Scriptures, especially to the teachings of Jesus. Ask God to help you accept His words about you as truth and integrate this belief into your life.
Say, “God, help me to understand and embrace what You say about me, making it a real and active part of my existence.”
God with Us
God sent His Son into the world to establish a personal relationship with humans. Any genuine relationship involves the proximity of one being with another. God tells us, “I’ll come and dwell with you.”
For I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord (Zechariah 2.10).
God’s command to His people was, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6.5).
Here’s an eternal principle. God always gives what He demands of His followers.
For humans to obey God’s invitation to love Him with our entire being, God must make Himself accessible. He assures us, “I am here for you; now, come and meet with Me.”
Richard Foster offers a valuable suggestion for beginning the day. He starts each morning with a full cup of coffee, positioning himself before God with an open Bible and an open heart.
In this time, he renews his loving relationship with God, interacting as friends would, until his coffee is finished. After the coffee is gone, he feels free to rise and start his day.
I recommend giving this practice a try as a method to consistently nurture your loving relationship with God daily.
Be Silent
The Psalm writer said, “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46.10).
Through Zechariah, the word was: “Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling” (Zechariah 2.13).
There have been times when my prayers seemed like they were orders placed at a drive-thru window. I wonder if this approach is appropriate when addressing a mighty God who is profoundly present among us.
There is a place for bold praying. Hebrews says, “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4.16).
There is also a time to be silent and still before our awesome God. Here’s an exercise you may try.
Quiet your mind and focus your attention on God. Use the Psalm writer’s words and quietly say:
“Be still, and know that I am God!”
Then say.
“Be still, and know that I am.”
Next, say.
“Be still, and know.”
Finally, say.
“Be still.”
When you reach this point in your communion with God, simply be still and silent before Him. What happens next is up to God and His plans for you.
Many times I “hear” nothing and feel nothing in this quiet time with God. However, I almost always notice the positive effects of this kind of reverence before the Lord.
This may be a good way to end your time with the Lord. Your coffee is finished and you spend a few minutes in silence and stillness before God who loves you.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 