“Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, ‘O Lord of Hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah?'” Zechariah 1:12
Dear Ones:
Isaiah wrote a very sad commentary concerning the heart condition of Israel, not only with respect to God, but also, with respect to her fellowmen. We see it in the Lord’s words: “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto me.” (63:5) Thank God that there are specific times when He, without the instrumentality of man, takes the initiative to intervene and save. And yet, His way is by the Spirit in and through the heart of man. Hence, we see Daniel praying in exile for the return and the restoration of Israel after the deportation. We see Nehemiah praying in exile for the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt, and this, for the glory of God. In these cases, and many more, the Lord answered prayer, and intervened in a mighty way. In the book of Zechariah, we see how the Lord will even respond to the prayer of an angel, and this in a most remarkable way. There are times in Scripture when the term, “the angel of the Lord,” refers specifically to the Lord Jesus. This may be one of those times, adding an even greater weight of meaning to the prayer. What is important to see here is that God hears and answers prayer, whether it be by a believer or by an angel. He does so in accordance with His mercy. What is also remarkable is the manner in which He responds, and answers. He speaks. He declares what He will do. He lays the grounds for the certainty of hope on the behalf of the one who is praying, whether it be the believer, an angel, or Christ Himself. God always answers the call of the heart, when it is in truth, and according to the good and perfect will of God.
The question now arises, how can one pray like this? It is not difficult to understand how an angel or Christ, our High Priest, can intercede in such a manner. But how can we intercede in like manner? James, in his epistle, addresses this issue very clearly, and points to the means by which all becomes possible. He first speaks of the very real consciousness of need to receive wisdom from God. And in the context of “asking in faith” for it, he uses the term “double-mindedness.” He declares that such an attitude is unacceptable to God for a specific reason, and the reason is very simple. To be double-minded is to trust in two separate, different things at the same time. He speaks of “wavering” in one’s attitude of faith. He likens it later in his epistle as an expression of a heart that is not pure. What does he mean by this? Paul would write to the Romans, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23) Paul is addressing the same issue concerning faith. True faith is that which is “whole-hearted.” When the Psalmist declares that we are to trust the Lord with ALL our heart, he is speaking of trusting Him supremely, and entirely, and in essence, ONLY. Nothing, and no one, can take the place of that singular object of trust. It is singularly personal trust in a Person.
Dear Father, the Psalmist prayed: “Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Ps. 80:3) He also prayed, “…Quicken us, and we will call upon Thy name.” (v.18) We would pray the same prayer, believing Thee to cleanse our hearts from all unbelief, double-mindedness, and doubt. Fill us with Thy faith Lord Jesus, enabling us to pray for ALL that You would have us believe you for. Then, Thou Father, will hear from heaven, and intervene, and save. We praise and thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad