#DailyDevotion Jesus is waiting to return to you.
January 25th
Read Zech 1:1–21
Zec 1:2-6 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers. (3) Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. (4) Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. (5) Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? (6) But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.”
At the end of the exile, the Lord remembered his promise that the kingdom of Judah would be in exile only 70 years. So now in Zechariah we see his plans for the return of his people to the land of their fathers. The Lord makes a plea with them to not be like their fathers and to repent.
The Lord pleaded with their fathers, he pleaded with the exiles and he pleads with us, “Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you.” At first glance it may appear that we are required to do something to merit or earn the gracious return of the Lord. Of our own power or strength it would we impossible to return to the Lord after sinning even being broken by the Law which condemns us for our sin. But it is the promise, “I will return to you,” which enlivens our hearts with the desire and the power to turn to God with true fear, faith and love in him.
Repentance is a gift of God given through the good news. Act 11:18 … “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” 2Ti 2:25 …God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 2Co 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
This godly grief is grief caused by the law giving us a broken heart and spirit and with knowledge of who we have sinned against, our Savior Jesus Christ, along with the good news that he accepts us back. Jesus is standing, no running towards us with open arms desiring to receive us and take us back into the fold of the saints. The sheer promise of his return to us tells us of his acceptance of us, of his forgiveness to us and his desire to present perfect, holy and blameless before the Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, so work in our hearts that we may be contrite over our sins and grant us the gift of repentance that we may return to you with faith in your promise to return to us, to not deal with us as we deserve, and to bestow great blessings upon us because of your mercies and merit. In your precious name we pray. Amen.