One of the things I love about God is that He choses to partner with us. I often make a joke that it is a terrible business plan because we haven’t traditionally been the best partners for Him.

However, the more that I read Scripture I see how much God trusts us and what we have. Of course we must rely on Him, and it is His power that compels and propels us, but that doesn’t mean we need to diminish what it is that we carry.

As I was reading the book of Zechariah I came across this theme again. Zechariah has returned to Jerusalem to restore the spiritual practises and help to rebuild the temple but naturally this is a daunting task and many didn’t want him to complete the task. In the midst of the process God is speaking to him and strengthens him. Here are two examples of God’s instruction to him.

…..Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built….. Zechariah 8:9

“……Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.” Zechariah 8:13b

I love that God is instructing and steadying him with His presence but yet is instructing Zechariah to ensure what he is bringing is important too. He is saying ‘let your hands be strong, let the skills and strength that I have given you come to the fore, you’ve got to bring all of you to this as well.’ It’s kind of like God is saying that it doesn’t all rest on Him, Job has got to play his part as well.

I think this is a lesson for us. We don’t need to be afraid because God is with us, all things are possible, but it is important that what we bring is our best, that we lend our strength to the partnership.

We must not be afraid but let our hands be strong