“Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.”’”
(Zechariah 7:8-10)
Outwardly, we come to worship, and profess our faith, but far too often, inwardly, our hearts are far from God. Our hearts have not been prepared for encountering God.
These verses in Zechariah connect the two. Justice, mercy and compassion are essential heart preparations for worship. If we are not in a right relationship with people we aren’t in a right relationship with God. Jesus told us when we bring our gift to the altar and remember our brother has ought against us, we must first go to them, and attempt reconciliation, before our worship will be acceptable. John said that if we can’t love our brother whom we can see, how can we claim to love a God we cannot see?
The fact is that where bitterness, anger, and an unforgiving spirit are manifest, God will not manifest His presence. Yet, it is not enough to seek to remove these relational cancers. We must actively pursue justice, mercy, and compassion.
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