By His Spirit- In His Word 10-21-2023
Recently I
was reminded of the rebuilding of the
Temple when Zerubbabel was working on the foundation. I pondered for a moment
the fact that He was told to rebuild the foundation and then the rest of the work
would be done. The thing was that the hole thing was to be according to His,
God the Father’s specifications and according to His design. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and
walked with him sharing what God had said to tell Zerubbabel. He told him how
it would not be done by his own strength, or his own power but the supernatural
power of God Himself! By His Spirit, the angel said.
Then he said
to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by
strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even
a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain
before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place,
the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’ Zechariah 4:6-7
Sometimes we
think God has given us too big of a task to do. We may even doubt that we heard
Him right, but when God says it; it will be done. Most of the time it ill not
be by our own strength that the thing wil be done but by the Spirit moving on our
behalf. I have a friend who helps families get back together when things go
wrong, she is anointed as a mother and a caretaker, but that is not all!
She had a
dream of a ranch for her family and her extended families to reunite. She lived
in a small trailer style home and was offered a ranch to live at and help kids.
Then that fell apart, and God brought her back to a small home that her husband
helped build on extra space so they could help other families. But it was a
small home, and a small yard. They did not despise the days of small
beginnings! From there God showed them how they could move to a ranch and buy
it! God worked it out in His time, and now they are looking to the future as
they care for livestock and families helping them to grow to know the Lord and
how their purpose works for Him. That is a small part of their story but God
brought them together, husband and wife, to create this life that has been such
a blessing to others. They have no idea how many people they bless almost
daily tween their lives and their sharing their story and the Gospel story and
how God melded them together to bring glory to God.
We may not
be building a Temple, but God has a purpose for each of us as well.
Sometimes we
get discouraged thinking that the purpose He gave us is taking too much time to
come to pass. Trust the Lord, He knows the best time, no matter what it is that
He has for you or I to do. When we remember to trust in the Lord with all our
heart, it is easy to listen for His understanding through the Holy Spirit. Then
we can follow the path He had for us no matter how small the beginnings are. Whatever
you are walking through, or walking to, trust God to help you through and to
it! He knows the plans He has for you,
just like He knew Jeremiah’s plans! (Jeremiah 29:11)
We just have
to remember that the foundation is laid but it will not be done without the
Lord directing us where to go. Whatever it is!
Unless the
Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord
protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for
you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working
for food to eat; for God gives rest
to his loved ones Psalm 127:1-3
Don’t worry
about anything, the stress of building a life that is perfect, the stress of
making the most money; none of it is important as giving it to God to deal with
while we walk in His presence, and In His love.
“Zerubbabel
is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it.
Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. 10 Do not
despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to
see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zechariah 4:9-10
Trust the
Lord to walk you through it, once He has brought you to it.
Trust the
Lord to show you His purpose, the allow His purpose to happen, in His time. It
is not about you, or me, its about His timing.
This is just
something to think about today. It may seem a little random, but today I
thought of the old song “Not by Might” from back in the 80’s. It reminded me of
how nothing I have today has come from just hard work on my or my husband’s
part, but it all has come through the grace and glory of the Lord God, in Jesus’
name.