God Calls All People

Few things are more troubling than feeling alone in a room full of people. That is exactly how some feel when they come to Church. They feel judged. They feel alone. The worst is when they don’t feel loved by God. Sometimes we must be reminded that God loves us.

I get it. Hearing that our lives are not what God wants for us can ‘feel’ like judgment. Our ego and guilty conscience take control of our heart. We never want to think that our choices are our life are not good. That does not change the truth that God loves us.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts:  Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” Thus says the Lord of hosts:  “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets, since the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.  For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his fellow.  But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts.  For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.  And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing.  Fear not, but let your hands be strong.” For thus says the Lord of hosts:  “As I purposed to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts,  so again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.  These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the Lord.”

Zechariah 8.7-17

In this reading from the Old Testament, we are plainly reminded that God is coming to save us, all of us. There isn’t one single person that God does not love. The Prophet speaks not only of Jews but of all people “from the east country and from the west country.” That’s you and me.

The Prophet goes on to say, “render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace.” How can we feel loved and judged at the same time? Judgments that are true remind us of sin and poor choices. They remind us that God wants better for us because He loves us.

The judgment of God isn’t like a courtroom. He isn’t standing behind a huge desk pointing His finger at us. God’s judgment is revealing the truth of our heart. Sometimes that truth stings a bit, but it is always so we can grow closer to God because He loves us.

Think of judgment this way. God is calling our hearts and telling us we are on the wrong street, as street that doesn’t lead to heaven. We might feel frustrated or angry that we are on the wrong street, but now that we know, we can change directions. That is called repentance.

If God didn’t love us, He would allow to roam freely on the wrong street never finding Him. Instead of being angry that God pointed out the wrong street, we are thankful because now we can find Him. His judgment is because He loves us, all of us.

Great Lent begins in just a few days. Spend the next few days thinking about what road you are on. Then ask your heart, “Am I on the right road to find God?” God is calling you to change roads and join Him in heaven. I hope you’ll answer the call.