THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2019 MORNING
Zechariah 8:16-17 New International Version (NIV)
16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord.
We indeed know that the Jews were very committed to their own ceremonies, that they thought that holiness existed in them: however, if they wished to for God to favor them, and also wished to enjoy continue with the goodness which they had already tasted, they were to strive to secure it not only by sacrifices and other ceremonies, but especially by attention to justice and equity.
Here the Prophet Zechariah not only condemns open wrongs, but also the hidden purposes of evil. We hence learn, that the law was not only given to control human beings; and that it not only contains a rule of life as to outward duties, but that it also rules their hearts before God and angels.
God can be favorable and kind to us, provided we truly and from the heart repent, and turn to what is right and just, not only to build churches, to give offerings, and to observe other rites, but also to form our life according to what integrity required; to labor not only by external acts in fulfilling our duties towards our neighbors; but also to cleanse our hearts from all hatred, all cruelty, and all wicked affection.
Amen!
ALHAMISI TAREHE 19 SEPTEMBA 2019 ASUBUHI
ZAKARIA 8:16-17
16 Haya ndiyo mtakayoyatenda; kila mtu na aseme kweli na jirani yake; hukumuni kweli na hukumu ya amani malangoni mwenu;
17 wala mtu wa kwenu asiwaze mabaya moyoni mwake juu ya jirani yake; wala msipende kiapo cha uongo; maana hayo yote ndiyo niyachukiayo, asema Bwana.
Ni wazi kwamba, Wayahudi walijitoa sana kuzishika taratibu za imani yao, hali iliyopelekea kudhani kuwa utakatifu ulitokana na matendo hayo. Hata hivyo, ikiwa wangetamani rehema za Mungu na pia kuendelea kufurahia wema wake ambao tayari waliwahi kuuonja hapo Mwanzo, basi walipaswa kujitahidi kutunza uhusiano wao na Mungu; siyo kwa kutoa sadaka na kufanya sherehe nyingine za kidini, bali kwa kuzingatia kutenda haki na usawa.
Hapa nabii Zakaria hakemei tu yale maovu yanayoonekana kwa macho, bali pia makusudio ya uovu yaliyofichika mioyoni mwa wanadamu. Hivyo tunajifunza kwamba, sheria haikuwekwa ili tu kuwafunga wanadamu; na kwamba haikuwa tu na makatazo dhidi ya matendo yao, bali pia kuongoza mioyo yao mbele za Mungu na malaika zake.
Mungu anaweza kuwa mwema na mkarimu kwetu, ikiwa tu tutaishi maisha ya toba na kusema kweli itokayo ndani ya mioyo yetu; na kutenda yaliyo mema na haki. Hatuishi tu kwa matendo kama vile kujenga makanisa na kutoa sadaka, pamoja na kufuata taratibu nyingine za kanisa. Tunapaswa kuishi maisha ya uaminifu; kujitahidi kutenda wajibu wetu kwa majirani zetu; lakini pia kujitakasa mioyo yetu dhidi ya chuki, ukatili na kila aina ya tama mbaya.
Amina!
