LEARN FROM PAST FAILURES

Zechariah 1:2-6
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call to Return to the LORD

2 “I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’ 4 Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’

5 “Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead. 6 But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’”


Having lived through the 60’s and the civil rights struggles of our nation, one of the concerns was always if we push too hard for what is right, the responses would be over reaction and greater repression. Thankfully that concern did not become reality. Now, almost 50 years later, we are seeing separationist thought resurface. We see it in politics, race and in a place where it never went away … worship. Take a look around your place of worship this week. With a few exceptions and a few tokens, we are acting and looking separated.

When we do unify as the Body of Christ, we see how wonderful things are when we come together. The Kairos Prison Ministry team we had this past weekend is a wonderful reminder from the Lord of how He wants us to love each other and serve together.

Like Israel, I’m afraid we are in danger of failing to learn lessons from past failures. “Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”