Zechariah 1:3 reads, “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Return to Me,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
“Says the Lord of hosts,” is the announcement given multiple times in this little verse. What is being said must be of great importance to Him, and therefore should be extremely important to us. What was so urgent? It was a call for God’s people to repent and return.
Notice that the call to return is voiced by Him who remained steadfast and not the one who has wandered away. How different the Lord is from us. When someone does not desire our company, we will be the first to distance ourselves quickly. After all, why should we stay when our absence is desired?
But thanks be to God! He never gives up on those who would rather not have His companionship. God’s willingness to heal a fractured relationship with one of His children is beyond human reason and resource, for He is always there when a wayward child returns.
The Lord of hosts’ sovereignty encompasses the stars, the heavens, and all the powers of the universe. His name implies the boundless resources at His command for His people’s good. It is unfathomable that anyone would willingly leave such a God, and yet they do.
Are you sensing a distance between you and God? It is you who have moved, not Him. If you have been careless in your walk, disobedient, or even rebellious toward the Lord, take His call seriously. Return now and enjoy the bountiful blessings of His presence once again. The Lord of hosts is waiting.
