Have you ever wondered exactly how “fed up” God is with His people. I must confess that I get fed up with people pretty easy. People walk in and out on God and the church like He’s a local supermarket. They hand Him their grocery list

• Fruit of the Spirit
• Milk of the Word
• Meat (if it’s done right)
• Water of the Word (flavored please)
• Serving towels… the pretty ones… not the ones you use.

And “if” they can find the time they’ll actually come for dinner, but it needs to be of the heat and eat variety because kickoff’s at noon. Oh yeah… I’ve gone to medlin’. But this thought entered my mind as I read in Zechariah 11:7 this morning.

Feed the Flock

 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

I think Zechariah was at the fed up point and I’m pretty sure he was there because God was there. Those who desired the word of the Lord, the poor of the flock would be fed. In our churches today we have wonderful men of God who week after week pour out their hearts before the congregation of the Lord hoping to stir a fire in the hearts and in a few it does. In every church there’s always a few who show up emptied out and ready to be filled and God is faithful to provide what it is they stand in need of. I’m that person. I need the word of God in my life in every form. I need it from the Preacher, I need to read it for myself and I  need to hear the Holy Spirit speak to my soul. I’m poor every day without it but I’m rich and filled to the brim when I seek to find it. But there are those who were playing church then and we have them yet today, They love it when they feel the power of God in a service, but let’s not get radical and want it outside the walls too. God, said let them go.

Fire the Fakers

In verses 8-11 Zechariah said

Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord.

This is one fed up leader! He fired three men and said I can’t stand them! That’s pretty harsh and I don’t really feel the love of God in his words, until I read further and realize why God is so fed up with people. I understand why He has let our Nation go to the point that it’s at with wicked leadership and immorality running amuck.

Listen to Zechariah’s words of condemnation that bring it into a New Testament realm.

Father Forgive them

 Vs. 12-14

And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Zechariah told them to put a value on him and they threw down 30 pieces of silver, just like the value that Judas put on Jesus; and then having tried to return the money, Judas hung himself and the priests purchased the potter’s field because they could put the money in the treasury.

This is my frustration with not only those who fall out on God but myself as well, when I realize that so often I ignore the price my freedom cost. Oh I want to hear from God, but do I want to hear what He has to say. Not always. Because I know I could live better. And His words convict my soul.

I barely touched anything about this scripture. It’s the history of God’s people at play, and their rejection of the Messiah, but history repeats itself in America as we reject the Lord every day when we have the opportunity to serve Him and choose the world instead.

Sunday’s coming…I’m preparing my heart to hear what he’s given my Pastor. Praise God we still have good godly men! Praise God we still have the freedom to hear the word of God. With the state of this nation we should never take that for granted.

Don’t take your grocery list of expectations to church. Go in with a blank piece of paper and let God fill your cart full of what you need at the house. He is faithful!

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