Zechariah 1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
You Have the Power of Choice
Just recently, I was meeting people before a Sunday service, when I met a man that had the exact same name as an old family friend whom I had not seen for some time. When he told me his name, I stopped for a moment a bit startled, and asked him to repeat the name. Come to find out, he was the son of our family friend. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. He looked a lot like his dad, and we often have the name, personality, coloring, or facial features as our parents or some other ancestor.
For many years in the past, people pretty much did whatever their parents did. Boys in particular were expected to adopt the same profession as their fathers. Though we are often similar to our ancestors in looks or occupation, it’s important for every one of us to remember that we have a choice. You see, your ancestry is fixed, but your future is not. You have the power of choice.
That choice is clearly articulated by Zechariah in Zechariah 1:2, where he says to the people of Israel, “The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.” God was talking to people about the precedent that had gone before them, and He indicated that they had a choice. If they choose to turn toward God, God would match them step for step.
Regardless of what your history or heritage may be, you alone will answer to God for your actions. In verse 4 God tells them, “Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from you evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.” Those prophets had told their parents to turn from their evil ways, but their parents did not hearken unto God. There is no excuse for following a poor precedent when we have centuries of man’s history and God’s eternal Word to inform us.
I don’t know what path you’ve been led to or what path you’ve seen others take, but none of us should mindlessly plow ahead. None of us can change our ancestry or heritage, but each of us is responsible for our the decision we make in our future. You are the link between your family and destruction or the blessings that God intends. That makes the way you take and the things you do today pretty important. Rest assured that regardless of where your family has been, if you’ll turn to God, He will be with you and make a difference in your day and your future.