I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Zechariah 7-10

I am going to start with paraphrasing the first part of this passage: When we celebrate Christmas and Easter, when we give things up for Lent, are we really doing it for God?  If we are honest with ourselves we will realize that, for the most part, these celebrations and fasts are for ourselves, not out of obedience to God.  God’s message to us is, instead of those celebrations of our own wants and desires, let us show kindness to one another.  Instead of buying things made by what amounts to slave labor to give to each other, let us feed the poor (and I don’t mean ask our government to feed the poor).  Let us stop scheming against each other, seeking how we can trick people into giving us more power.  If we do not listen to God when He tells us these things, He will not listen to us when we call out to Him in desperation.

That first part is scary, but Zechariah goes on to give a message of hope.  He tells the people that when they started work on the Temple their resources were slim, but they listened to the prophets God sent them and started the work anyway.  Now God promises that He will reward them by bringing them plenty.  The same is true today.  We should do God’s work, even when it seems like  doing so will take resources we need to survive.  God does not call us to serve Him out of our spare time and spare resources.  He calls us to serve Him with time and resources we think we need for other things.  If we do this, He will be faithful and provide us with what we need in abundance so that we can serve Him more.