What Do You Desire of Me?

Read: Zechariah 1
“9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel who talked with me said, I will show you what these are.” Zechariah 1:9

Examine:
God is a God of new beginnings and fresh works. There are times and places when every believer is faced with something they do not understand. Zechariah had the courage to walk with angels, but he also had the humility to ask about what he did not understand.

Apply:
All questions are good, but not all are holy. All questions addressed to God will receive a response but not all responses are good. God is holy and His character demands my respect. There are a couple of things on my heart about Zechariah’s question that I feel I need to learn. The Spirit, not his emotions, led him to this place. Emotional questions are always loaded questions. When I ask them, I am really not looking for information; I am making an accusation. Questions toward God that carry this tone anger Him. Questions that are led by the Spirit will always confront something in my character that needs changing by affirming something in God’s character I need to accept as truth. Zechariah was not asking for information or for novelty. He was on mission and he knew it. God was revealing something to him that would have to be carried to the world. Many times my questions start and end with my life. I want to know, but I do not want to share the knowledge I gain. I want peace, but I do not want to be used to bring the message of peace to others.

Pray:
Father, there is something deep stirring inside of me. I have felt it for some time now but I am afraid to ask You about it. Afraid is really not a good word. It is more like I dread this stirring because I know that it means my life will have to change and I will have to trade my dreams for Your dreams. It means I will have to take the control I falsely perceive to have over my life and give it to You. It means I will once again have to find another level of surrender to Your will for my life. I have tried to ignore this stirring and while I have not addressed it with You I have felt my worship of You begin to fade, my prayers to You start to fall flat, and my peace with You begin to slip.

I confess to You that I have been trying to run from Your movement in my heart and I clearly recognize that as being disobedient and sinful. I repent of my rebellion and say to You, my Lord, what are these things in my heart and what do You desire of me?