Why am I doing This?

 Read Zechariah 7.

Revisiting our routines can be a healthy exercise; mentally, emotionally, and perhaps, spiritually.  Reexamining our motives is a good thing.  Too often people trap themselves into doing the same things the same way and become unable to explain why.  Thinking people eventually will ask themselves, "Why am I doing this?"

The reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem was underway.  It would require four years to complete.  About half-way into the project, a question was asked about fasting.  This particular fast was self-imposed and not ordered by God.  It began with the sincere motive of memorializing the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.  But that was over seventy years ago.  Now, they questioned whether or not they should continue the practice.

This chapter begins a series of four messages marked by "the word of the LORD came."  It is interesting to note that God did not provide an answer to their question in this first message.  He addressed it in message #4 (8:18-19).  God had something else He wanted to say to them first.

Message #1: 3 Questions (vv.1-7)
Each of God's questions was meant to drill down to their real motives for fasting or feasting.  The "why" they were doing it was more important to the LORD than the "what."  This is the danger of religious rituals. 

Merely showing up, going through the motions, and reciting certain words by rote does not mean anything happened that pleased God.  For instance, most liturgical practices began with the good motives of teaching, training, and remembering specific Biblical truths.  But over time, Bible teaching ceased to be the priority and routine became a substitute for the true worship of God.  The people know the routine without being able to open their own personal Bible and explain why.

Contemporary churches have nearly as many routine practices and requirements as liturgical ones, though most do not realize it.

The purpose of fasting is to humble oneself before God, usually in repentance and/or grief.  One either loses their appetite for food due to an adversity or they may discipline themselves to spend that time in prayer instead of eating.  God had ordered certain fasts under the law.  But again, the fast mentioned in this chapter was not one of them.

God's question to them was, "Are you doing this for Me or for yourself?"

Message #2: 3 Reminders (vv.8-14)
While He had their attention, God reviewed a bit of history for these questioners.  If they were going through the ritual of fasting for memorial purposes, what do they remember?  Do they remember why Jerusalem was destroyed?  Do they remember how faithful God was to send His messengers, the prophets, to warn the people?  Do they remember His admonishments to them?

Rituals and remembrances have their places, but what pleases the LORD is when Biblical beliefs are demonstrated in our behaviors.  Verse 9 is reminiscent of Micah 6:8. 
1."Render true judgments,
2. show kindness
3. and mercy to one another."