The will of the majority...

There is a plaque in our home office that says, "Never confuse the will of the majority with the will of God."  I don't know about you, but... i know for me that can be a very easy thing to do because if i were honest i'd have to say in the neck of the woods i live in the majority gets the attention.  So i have to be resolved to go before my daddy daily to seek my marching orders; to make sure i am in 'His Will' not following the words and advice of the many. 

This morning as i was having my "date with my daddy" (this is what i call my personal and intimate time with my heavenly Father), the place i found myself in Scripture was Zechariah 7.  I want to share with you what i read and the feelings i experienced, however, understand i am no Bible scholar, nor theologian, nor do i claim to be :), however, something about these words leapt off the page. 

Let me first explain who Zechariah is: he is a prophet during the Jewish restoration from Babylonian captivity; and then where do we find him:  he was among those that returned to Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed.  So with that said, here is what i read in Zechariah 7:8-13:

'And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: "This is what the Lord Almighty says: Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another.  Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor.  In your hearts do not think evil of each other."  But they refused to pay attention: stubbornly they turned thier backs and stopped up thier ears.  They made thier hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets.  So the Lord Almighty was very angry." 

"When i called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen, says the Lord Almighty."

There is message after message throughout scripture to reveal the Father's love for those most vulnerable and His call for us, "His disciples" to look after them.  Scripture said the Lord was angry that the people of the day turned thier back on them and stopped up thier ears. 

God just gripped my heart this morning with the sad truth that today isn't much different than then.  That what goes on here among us holds some of the same truths.  This morning as i read a blog about what is happening in the Sudan (www.kimberlylsmith.blogspot.com) as i ate my bacon and drank my tea, i wanted to stop reading, but the Spirit of the Lord compelled me to STOP turning my back.  I have spent many years in my COMFORT turning my back or plugging my ears; as if the cries of orphans and widows wasn't all around me.  How?  The same as many others...  i am blessed to live in a place that i can come into MY house, and close MY blinds and turn off MY tv and radio and act as if bad is not happening.  But what i am afraid of, is that what i have chosen for years to do with my blessings is not pleasing to MY GOD!

I want to be a blessing to my Father today, i want to bring Him Glory at all cost.  I want to see with His eyes and Act with His Compassion, I want to love those He loves.  To do this just might mean to go against the will of the majority!  It might even mean being ridiculed and singled out but... I think it sounds adventurous and i know from experience that going with God is always the MOST AMAZING trip...  So... I think i'll go, You up for it?    LeAnn