Return to the Lord

Many drivers rely on the help of a GPS (Global Positioning System) device to get to their destination. The beauty of this technology is that it adapts to your mistakes. When you make a wrong turn, it tells you what you need to do to return to the right path. The Bible does the same for us. When we stray from God's path, it shows us what steps we need to take to return to the right one. The Bible is the primary tool God's Spirit uses to keep us on track in our daily lives.

This month we will study the book of Zechariah. Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai and ministered to the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Zechariah’s grandfather Iddo was among those exiles who returned with Joshua and Zerubbabel. By the time Zechariah began his prophetic ministry, the building project had ground to a halt. Delayed by opposition from enemies and the demands of day-to-day living, the returning exiles had become more concerned with their own affairs than with God. For this reason, the book begins with an appeal to those who had returned to Jerusalem to return to the Lord as well (v. 3).

Zechariah’s opening prophecy reminds us of the need to serve God from the heart. Even when we follow the rules, our hearts may be disengaged (Mark 7:6–8). Sometimes, like the returned exiles, we may substitute God’s priorities with our own. We can be

very religious and still be far from God. Staying on the right path isn’t just about following the rules. It begins with the heart. When our hearts go wrong, our lives will not be far behind.

Pray with Us

Please keep in your prayers the MBI trustees who serve Moody with dedication, wisdom, and commitment. We thank God for their leadership! May they continue to follow the Lord’s guidance in their service.

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.