Zechariah 4:4-7
4 I said to the angel who spoke with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who spoke with me answered me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6 He said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain, and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
This is a passage from the prophesy of Zechariah. As one of the great prophets of the Hebrew Bible, Zechariah shared a very important message that emphasized repentance and the ultimate glory of God’s kingdom. God in this passage is incredibly powerful but not in the expected ways like power and might but rather through the power of the Spirit. This is one of the ways that God again and again surprises us.
So many things in this world are controlled by power and force. It takes a very special God to flip things around and remind us what really matters in this world. In a society that values power and authority, we learn that what God values is the power of the Spirit and how we each connect to the divine. It isn’t about being the biggest, loudest, and strongest person in the room, but greatness is defined by how we connect to God and use that connection to love those around us.
Prayer
God of Power, you remind us every day of what matters in this world. Although often our world has different values, we hear your call to be your disciples and to walk in your light and truth. It is through this called path that we hope to be better servants and better neighbors. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Truth!