Observation: Throughout this section, the Lord is declaring the following through Ezekiel ... back in Judah, Jerusalem is going to be destroyed due to the continued sins of the people, and no amount of hopeful declarations to the contrary will change that. In fact, those who declare such hope are false prophets. They have set up these false hopes believing they demonstrate faith that the Lord will protect his people, but actually they are "idols" because they are given precedence over the truth that the Lord is communicating.
In all cases, anyone who speaks about things that were not declared by the Lord - even if those things are good and loving and hopeful - those people are false prophets. They will receive no reward for their misplaced faith and practices.
Application: I am a person who declares hope in the Lord over and over, who seeks God's forgiveness for the people of this land, who sees the sins and wonders what the Lord will do to either recover or condemn. All the while, I fail to acknowledge how truly terrible I as a believer and disciple of Jesus. I blatantly sin and openly criticize others' sins. I condemn inactivity while avoiding service. I wonder at others' lack of faith that produces struggles, even in the midst of my failures.
I would set myself up as someone who claims to know what the Lord wants others to do and teach, while I actively ignore and even reject what he tells me to do and say.
Ezekiel is clear as to my fate - this is the declaration of the Lord God - I will not be present in the council of the Lord's people or be recorded in the register, and I will not enter into his promise.
Prayer: Lord, I fall on your mercy, and pray forgiveness for my ways, my sins, my thoughts, my actions, and my arrogance in even thinking I am in any way deserving of your lovekindness. I don't just struggle, I fail, and in my pride I reject your correction and your word and your direction. I ask for your guidance, they actively push you away to follow my own path. I know today I am the worst kind of disciple, the one critical of other disciples while being all the worse. Again I beg forgiveness. I am not worthy of your Holy Spirit to guide me, but relying on your mercy I ask for it. Heal my mind and my heart, O Lord, so that my soul and my body may walk on your path again this day. In the name of my savior Jesus I pray, amen.
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