“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.” Zechariah 7:11
Why do some people doubt that the Holy Bible is God’s Word? Why do some people refuse to listen to the Gospel message? Does this passage from the book of Zechariah sound familiar? Do you know anybody like that? Back in the day twenty years ago, while living in Haiti, there were vodou priests living in my neighborhood in Petionville who not only refused to pay attention to God’s Word, but took another step to further distance themselves from the saving Grace of Jesus Christ and sought out satan for assistance as they sacrificed animals in their temples. I heard them doing that, slowly torturing dogs to death around midnight.
I know for a fact that these children from Merrotte who are standing next to the plantain grove near their school hear the vodou drums pounding on Saturday nights in their neighborhood as the priests call upon evil spirits to do their business in attempting to keep the Christians from attending Christ the King Lutheran Church on Sunday morning; as I’ve slept in that Church and listened to their cadence into the wee hours of the morning.
I am sure that we all have known people who have refused to pay attention and closed their ears so that they could not hear the Truth. Paul says that men also close their minds to God’s general revelation in nature, as well as His special revelation in His Word. Sinful man turns away from God and willingly chooses to believe in the lies of satan; the grand deceiver. Thank you for helping to prepare over 60,000 young missionaries in Haiti to bring the message of Salvation to the closed ears and minds in Haiti. I’ve chosen the words from the hymn ‘"Open now Thy gates of beauty’ which was written by Benjamin Schmolck in 1723 to close today’s devotion.
“Open now Thy gates of beauty, Zion, let me enter there, where my soul in joyful duty waits for Him who answers prayer. Oh, how blessed is this place, filled with solace, light, and grace! Lord, my God, I come before Thee, come Thou also unto me; where we find Thee and adore Thee, there a heaven on earth must be. To my heart, oh, enter Thou, let it be Thy temple now! Here Thy praise is gladly chanted, here Thy seed is duly sown; let my soul, where it is planted, bring forth precious sheaves alone, so that all I hear may be fruitful unto life in me. Thou my faith increase and quicken, let me keep Thy gift divine, howsoe'er temptations thicken; may Thy Word still o'er me shine as my guiding star through life, as my comfort in my strife. Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee, let Thy will be done indeed; may I undisturbed draw near Thee while Thou dost Thy people feed. Here of life the fountain flows, here is balm for all our woes.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay