In God's Spirit

December 17, 2022 | Greg Rankin

About the author: Greg and his wife Dinah, along with their kids Hadley and Benjamin, have been members at ZPC since (about?) 2008.  Greg has served in a number of roles and he and Dinah are blessed to be part of an incredible Home Group that helps to make the entire ZPC community feel even more like family to them.

Zech. 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

First, what a gift to be asked by Sally Bias to write one of these devotionals. If you are ever asked, say yes! It is such a blessing to study a passage of scripture with which you are less familiar, and then to dive in seeking inspiration for something to share.

Zechariah definitely counts as one of the books of the Old Testament that I have given little attention. Unlike some other prophets, rather than grave warnings of imminent destruction and punishment, Zechariah casts vision in a poetic fashion to inspire a people who are tired and weary.  Specifically, Zechariah is calling the people to complete the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, following their many years of exile in Babylon. They have started, but are now exhausted and seem to see no end.  Zechariah shares visions he has received both for the now and for the promised eternal reign of the coming Messiah. Zech. 4:6 is one of the key passages of the book, when Zechariah shares what God has said to him, that “not by strength or might, but by My Spirit” will this be accomplished. 

In Zech. 9:9, the author clearly moves beyond the current struggles to the future hope. To that promise of the coming of an eternally reigning king, Messiah, who, reflecting back to Zech. 4:6, will come in humble fashion on the foal of a donkey, not in strength or might, but in God’s Spirit. 

There is so much for us in this, so many layers that there is no time to unpack here. However, to summarize simply, this points us to trust God’s Spirit, not those things we see as mighty and powerful around us. Those things that promise us so much, often using fear-inspiring “prophecy,” and yet deliver little. 

In the here and now, we can trust him as we seek to build his Kingdom through ZPC. In this classic Messianic scripture passage, from a book focused on the re-building of God’s temple, it is hard for me not to wonder. Is God not exhorting us to continue work on our own temple to him that was begun many years ago, but maybe is not yet finished? Is ZPC’s temple to shine even brighter as a beacon of hope pointing our community to the eternally reigning King? What we know about scripture, is that it was never written to one people in one time, but was written to them then and to us now. In all that we dream to do, it will not be accomplished through might or power, but rather in God’s Spirit. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, please help us to turn from our idols of strength and power and to seek only your Spirit. May we trust that in you, all will be accomplished and that you will forever reign over your Kingdom as you do our lives today. We look now in anticipation of seeing you today even as we await your return.  Amen

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