Not That Clear

Read: Zechariah 2
“5 For I, says the Lord, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.” Zechariah 2:5

Examine:
As the Israelites continued with rebuilding the temple, the city, and its walls God did not want them to put their faith in the things they were building for Him. He wanted them to know that it was He who protected them and gave them glory. He did not tell them to stop building the walls or abandon the temple; He just directed them to not put their confidence in them.

Apply:
There is a bottle of concentrated mango juice in my fridge. The bottle says it tastes best when you mix 1 part of juice with 3 parts of water. My taste buds serve as an immediate proving ground that either affirms or rejects my job of mixing the juice. Faith and works are not that clear.

God calls me to labor and He calls me to faith. He commands prudent planning and He also considers my best plans worthless. He demands that I submit all things to Him in prayer and then He also expects me to work like an ant in getting it done. Jesus invites me to put aside my yoke and take His. He beckons that I take up His cross and follow Him daily. He will be the wall around me and the glory within me, but I have to carry His yoke and cross.

Pray:
I feel the force of frustration rising up from within me as I start to pray. Father, I am confused. There are lines that have become confused and I am unsure of what to do. My flesh is constantly attacked by our enemy and his best tactic is to create confusion. He has done a really good job of waging a battle against the line between faith and work.

I need to better communicate with You. In order to do that I must cut down on my busyness and carve out undivided time to spend with You. I fill up my days with tasks, meetings, and family duty. The moment I get a break, I run toward entertainment. You get the first hour of my day but that is the only solid time I spend with You. Everything else is crammed in the margin. I will buy a journal today and agree to spending regular time with You just as I would my wife and kids. I will put it on my calendar so that I do not forget but will also remain open to the times You decide to surprise me with a visit.

Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit; I long to be close to You. You are not philosophies to learn, rules to follow or myths to chase. You are a real tangible being and You desire for me to know You in real and tangible ways. I submit to that today. I desire to walk in constant awareness of You today.