Zechariah 7-11

October 8

Zechariah 7-11

 How receptive are we when God speaks to our hearts? Do we see God like a genie in a bottle who we expect to respond to our every wish? Israel refused to listen to God’s words to them. They had their own agenda and they refused to turn to God. God pursued them, sent prophets to correct them, called them to himself, but they refused to listen. When they finally realized that God was bringing correction upon them, they cried out to God, but He refused to listen to their cries.

"“‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 7:13, NIV)

 Perhaps our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling because we are doing a lot of talking, but never listening to what God has to say to us. Perhaps God is calling us to turn our hearts and minds to Him, but we continue to walk in the way we want to walk, crying out to God to bless our decisions even if they go against His will or even His Word. God is not required to provide everything we ask Him to give us. He is not a genie in a bottle. He wants to build us and shape us into the image of Jesus. His goal is not to bless us with the things of this world. He has so much more for us.

 Perhaps we should begin our time of prayer by listening. Maybe read the bible, then just stop and allow God to apply His word to our lives. If we refuse to stop and listen to God, why do we think He should listen to us. As our days fly by, it is time to stop, listen, obey, then lift our prayers of intercession to Almighty God.