Living the Dream; Zechariah 8

May the mumbling commence!

There is nothing like living in a dream!  Can you imagine a place and time where everything would go as the Lord wanted?  There is such a path to living the dream – if we choose to follow it.  Read from Zechariah 8:14-23 –

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Just as I had determined to bring disaster upon you and showed no pity when your fathers angered me," says the Lord Almighty, "so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.  These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord. 

Again the word of the Lord Almighty came to me.  This is what the Lord Almighty says: "The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace." 

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, 'Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.'   And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him." 

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'"

In this passage, God spoke both of things to do and things not to do.  Speak the truth.  Render true and sound judgments.  Love truth and peace – and that peace includes justice.  These are some of the things to do to get on the path to living a dream.  Do not plot evil.  Do not lie.  These are some of the things to avoid leaving the path.

And, what does the dream of the Lord look like for us.  Our worship will become joyful and happy and glad occasions.  That joy will attract many people to the Lord.  Ten people will come to us on our way to worship to beg to join us.  They will pull on our dress shirts in their fervor.

There is a multitude of information out there for growing the church of God.  But, isn’t the Lord God Almighty the best source for growing His church?

Let us do the hard work of truth-telling in love.  Let us discern the righteous judgments – together seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance.  Let us leave our agendas behind, which could lead to plotting evil (for good we try to convince ourselves) and lies.

Our hard work – hand in hand with the Spirit – will lead to a dream state.  Can you imagine great mirth at the worship services you attend (if it is not happening already)?  Can you imagine people waiting in line at your church building doors to get in?

It can happen.  It will happen eventually if we trust in the Lord and do the hard work that the Lord has called us to do.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out