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by Bible League International,
Narrated by Artificial Intelligence,
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Scripture
Then 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. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!'” – Zechariah 4:6-7 ESV
Devotion
The Old Testament book of Zechariah contains some unique visions that this prophet encounters in his ministry to the Lord. One of the purposes of these visions was to provide consolation to the returned exiles from Babylonian captivity and stir up hope in their minds. In Chapter 4, Zechariah saw a vision of a lampstand that is continually kept burning by an unlimited supply of oil. As he sought the meaning of this vision, an angel of the Lord explained it in our verses of the day.
This encouraging word from the Lord is addressed to Zerubbabel, the governor who, along with Joshua the high priest, had been charged with the task of rebuilding the temple. It was likely that the builders would probably have many obstacles. Whether practical, political, or spiritual, all of these obstacles would be cut down to size by the Lord’s great power and grace that was actively working in their midst. As a result, what may seem like a huge mountain becomes a mere plain and the final stone will be set in place with shouts of grace!
That assurance of divine aid encourages God’s people that they will succeed in their rebuilding of the temple through God’s Spirit, not by their own might and resources. This is a great message we need to hear and apply in our lives today. What has the Lord called us to build or rebuild? Are we rebuilding broken relationships with a spouse, a child, or a neighbor? Are we building something that will help those in need, the poor, or the marginalized? Whatever the task or project is we are called to do, we will eventually get weary at some point.
However, there is a hope, a grace, that gives us the ability to continue our tasks. The Spirit of the Living God will enable us to keep building. Through His grace and strength, we can keep building in the face of discouragement, keep building amid opposition, keep building long past our ability to endure by ourselves. May we each build until the final stone is in place and we cry grace, grace to it!
This is an interesting twist on the old proverb, “making mountains out of mole hills.” Through the grace of God, we can make a mole hill out of a mountain when we turn to and rely on the Spirit of God to give us daily grace for our building projects. Seek Him and His strength today and commit our buildings to the Lord for His glory. He is able when we are not!
Inspirational Image of the Day
