ZECHARIAH 7:2

“Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,”

There have been a few times in my life when I had to go to someone to ask a favor. Maybe it was to ask a work colleague to swap days off with me so I could go to an event. Perhaps it was to ask someone to borrow something. Each time I have done that I have gone with a sense of humility, knowing that I was the one doing the asking. The other person had the power to grant me the favor. It was not up to me.

The phrase “seek the favor” in the Hebrew is literally “pray before.” These two men, Sharezer and Regemmelech, are unknown to us except that they represented the people before the Lord. The people knew that to truly seek God’s favor, they had to come before Him in prayer and humility. The Hebrew word used here can also mean sick or weak. The word picture here is one who comes before someone with no power of their own – humble and lowly.

APPLICATION

There is a perfect picture of how we are to come before the Lord when we pray – humble and lowly. Most of my prayers are accompanied with a certain posture. I bow my head or get on my knees as I pray. Occasionally, I will even lay on the floor. It is not about my body position. It’s about my heart position.

Perhaps the best way to show what I mean is to share the story Jesus told in Luke 18:9-14. “9 Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: “God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

As you pray today, remember Who it is you are approaching. He is the God of the universe, the One Who created all things. He gave His Son to die for you, so that you can spend eternity with Him in glory. He deserves our praise and is welcoming of our prayers. Yes, come before Him with praises and singing, but do that with a humble and contrite heart. He is worthy.

Lord, I approach Your throne with a humble heart, asking You to hear my pleas.