Zechariah 7:5 says, When ye fasted and mourned… even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
There is something deeply unsettling in this question from the Lord. It cuts gently—but deeply. Not with condemnation, but with truth. The kind of truth that makes you grow quiet.
The people come with a sincere question: should they continue fasting as they had done in the past? It sounds spiritual. It sounds right. But God does not answer their question directly. He goes deeper. He does not begin with their practices—He looks at their hearts.
Was it really for Me?
It is as if the Lord is saying: let us first talk about why you do what you do.
And suddenly, you realise—it is possible to do all the right things, yet have the wrong focus. To pray, but still be centred on yourself. To fast, without your heart ever becoming soft. To go to church, yet not truly live close to God.
God does not reject discipline or devotion—He does not reject fasting or prayer—but He is looking for something deeper than that. He is looking for a heart that knows Him, a heart that reflects His own.
That is why He reminds them in Zechariah 7:9–10:
Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor…
It is almost as if God is saying: if you want to honour Me, look at how you treat people.
True spirituality is not only seen in your relationship with God—it is revealed in your attitude toward others.
It is easy to be religious in isolation. It is easy to appear holy when it is just between you and God. But the test of a soft heart is found in the everyday:
how you speak to someone who irritates you
how you respond to someone who has hurt you
how you see those who have nothing to offer you in return
God’s heart beats strongly for the vulnerable—for those who are easily overlooked, for those who have no voice.
And He says: this is where I want to be seen through you.
Not only in your prayers.
Not only in your songs.
But in your love.
This passage reveals something important: God is not interested in a faith that only looks good on the outside. He is not looking for people who simply follow the right forms. He is looking for people who carry His character.
And notice how He does this.
He does not come with harsh accusations. He asks a simple question:
Was it really for Me?
Because God does not force change—He invites you to look honestly.
It is an invitation to self-examination, not condemnation.
Perhaps this is a question that quietly echoes in your heart today:
Why do I do what I do?
Are my prayers just words—or a meeting with Him?
Are my good deeds just duty—or a reflection of His love?
Is my faith something I do—or Someone I know?
In the end, it is not about how much you do. It is about how closely you walk with Him.
God’s heart is not cold or demanding. It is full of grace. But it is also true. He sees beyond the surface. He looks into the deepest places within you.
And what He is looking for there is not perfection—but authenticity.
A heart that says:
“Lord, I want to know You.
Not just speak about You—but live like You.”
When that happens, everything begins to change.
Then your faith is no longer a list of things you must do—but a life that overflows.
Then love is no longer something you try to produce—but something that grows from within you.
Then people begin to see something of God—not only in your words, but in your being.
And perhaps this is the invitation of Zechariah 7:
Not to do more—
but to live deeper.
Not to appear better—
but to become more like Him.
Because at the end of the day, God will not ask:
“How religious were you?”
He will gently ask:
“Did your heart become like Mine?”
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