Grace in the Midst of Darkness
And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
~ ZECHARIAH 12:10 (ESV)
As I was sitting at my desk flipping through the news stations to find the local weather predictions, the forecast was bleak. According to the meteorologist, we could expect rain — and a great deal of it. The last thing I wanted to hear was this report, as it would severely affect my plans. Waters had already saturated the ground, and I wondered how much water we would get in the basement this time. This weather report was followed by a story of a 15-year-old boy who lost a five-year battle with cancer. Then the local anchorman announced the total number of U.S. men and women who had given their lives overseas. How pitiful my concerns seemed in comparison. When we hear stories like these, we are left asking ourselves, “When will this end? When will there be relief?”
When tough times are before us, we can feel battered and worn, but we will never be completely broken. We travel through this Lenten season of repentance feeling the weight of our sin, the guilt of our actions, and the burden of living in a world stained by sin. Yet, we are still able to smile as we can see Easter on the horizon.
As God promised the Israelites through the prophet Zechariah, He promises us now: “I will pour out ... a Spirit of grace and pleas for mercy ....” We are truly blessed to be a part of a community of believers in our churches. It is a blessing to be able to walk through that church door, enter the sanctuary, and be a part of “the house of David.” The blessings we receive through the Word and Sacrament will continually flow down upon us as we face our daily trials and tribulations.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your almighty presence. As we repent of our sins, we know that you forgive us even now. Teach us to continually sing your praises as we recall, enjoy, and look forward to the blessings that you will continue to pour on us. In Jesus’ name, we pray this. Amen.
PASTOR RICHARD WORKMAN
In memory of Richard Workman, who died July 18, 2018. Pastor Workman served at Zion Community Church for 16 years. He had written this for the 2010 devotional book.