Discovering the heart of God (Zechariah 10)
Zech 10:1-12; 11:1-3 The newly arrived pastor of a church I was involved in was enthusiastically talking about plans for various ministries, but it soon became apparent that this was only for show. He created his own inner circle, some…
God’s commitment and His way to fight (Zech 9:11-17)
Zech 9:11-17 Interpreting prophecy about the future is challenging because it is hard to know how to read the details. What particulars are meant literally, what is symbolic? In our last reading, for instance, several of Israel’s neighbours were listed…
What leads to being saved and to wellbeing? (Zech 9:1-10)
Zech 9:1-10 The words of Zechariah 9:9 are indelibly connected in our minds with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem (cf. Matt 21:1-11), but most of us are unfamiliar with the larger context of this verse. Zechariah 9 marks a new…
What transforms outsiders into seekers of God? (Zech 8:18-23)
Zech 8:18-23 A friend with a troubled past walked into a church for the first time and was so overwhelmed by the love of God present in the congregation that she turned to Christ and was saved. I know from…
How to stay the course (Zech 8:1-17)
Zech 8:1-17 What is the hardest phase in doing a project? For some, getting started, learning new ways is the greatest hurdle; once they are in the groove, they can keep going. For others, there is an initial enthusiasm that…
What to do when God probes our heart (Zechariah 7)
Zech 7:1-14 As in many European countries, church weddings in Hungary are not valid, so when I got married, we had to have a civil ceremony first. Since we considered the church wedding the real thing, we opted for a…
The challenge of the part we play in God’s kingdom (Zech 6:9-15)
Zech 6:9-15 What is the purpose of the Church on this earth? Is it evangelism and mission? Care for the vulnerable in the wider community? Worship? Discipleship and equipping Christians to do God’s will? Congregations may stress one or other…
Where is God and why it matters (Zech 6:1-8)
Zech 6:1-8 Friedrich Nietzche, the nineteenth century German philosopher, is best known for his statement ‘God is dead’. His point is that Enlightenment thought (especially the development of science) made God irrelevant and unnecessary as an explanation for the world.…
What comes after being saved? (Zechariah 5)
Zech 5:1-11 I read a quote somewhere a while back that marriage was invented to solve the problems you never even had before you were married, and the unexpected perspective made me smile. Many of us come to marriage as…
How to experience God’s presence (Zechariah 4)
Zech 4:1-14 At one point in my life, I found myself emotionally blackmailed. For anyone on the outside, it may seem an easy thing to get out of such a situation, but for those caught in it, it seems impossible.…