Zechariah 1:16-17

“Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

In this passage, the Lord is speaking to an angel about His mercy on Jerusalem and Zion. An angel was speaking with the Lord and asked when He would no longer have mercy on them because of the way they have made the Lord angry all this time. God tells the angel in comforting words that ring love from the Father.  God has such surpassing mercy that oxen’s over His people and He will continue to love and have grace on them. He is going to build His house in Jerusalem and again they will overflow with His prosperity and he will continue to choose His beloved children. 

Psalm 57:2-3 says, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me.” The Lord hears our cries to Him, no matter how many times we fail, He is still faithful to stretch His mercy upon us. When I read this passage, the Lord showed me how I was Jerusalem and how I had turned and made Him angry in my sin against Him, but He still desired to dwell in me and bring His love and mercy and prosperity in my life. I have always doubted that the Lord really wanted me and desires to have an intimate relationship with me. I have been having a lot of doubt since being here in Africa and the enemy has really been attacking me with old insecurities and doubts that I haven’t had in a long time. The morning I read this passage in Zechariah, I was really struggling with my relationship with the Lord and how many times I had failed Him. I was believing that He was tired of saving me and I counted His unending grace and mercy in my life. As I read this, I felt the Lord come and reassure me of His love towards me. He reminded me of the truth and to dwell on that instead of letting the lies of the enemy come in and limit God. He reminded me that I am dead and that He is my only source of life and light and that is the truth I have to cling to in all areas of my life. 

The Lord is continually showing me in each day His love and provision for me even when I don’t see it. He is giving me eyes to see as He does and ears to hear His still small voice. This lesson is one that the Lord is really hitting me hard with here in Africa because I am in anew environment in new circumstances that He is using to grow and challenge me even more to become more like His Son. My application is to pray for more of an understanding of His grace and mercy in my life.