Today’s Reading: Lamentations 1-3; Ps 137

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept
as we thought of Jerusalem.
We put away our harps,
hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.
For our captors demanded a song from us.
Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn:
“Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
But how can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a pagan land? – Psalm 137:1-4

God’s people grieved while in exile; they longed for their homeland. And in the midst of their grief, they wondered if God was still listening to their prayers. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever gone through a time when you wondered if God was even listening anymore?

“And though I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers.” – Lamentations 3:8

After reading 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles, then listening to the prophets through whom God spoke to His people, we have new context to the book of Lamentations. Using poetry, Jeremiah mourned the loss of what Jerusalem used to be. He wept over the conditions of those who had been left behind as they starved behind the walls that were built to protect them. It would have been better for them to be captured and exiled than to remain there to watch what Jerusalem had become and to watch her children begging for food.

The Lord in his anger has cast a dark shadow over beautiful Jerusalem.
The fairest of Israel’s cities lies in the dust, thrown down from the heights of heaven.
In his day of anger, the Lord has shown no mercy even to his Temple… – Lamentations 2:1

As we read the grief expressed in the book of Lamentations, many of us can relate to a time when we were hurting over a loss of some kind. Perhaps you are in the midst of your grief right now. Most likely, all of us have lost someone we loved over the last five years. In 2021, our family sat by my father’s bedside as he took his last breath. I have watched a friend grieve the loss of her husband over this last year. Loss is a natural part of life, but goodbyes are hard and grief can be debilitating.

“Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” – Lamentations 3:18

We have all experienced loss and grief in our life and we have all watched others around us suffer. But in the midst of utter sorrow, we have also experienced the mercy of our wonderful Lord and Savior. When grief threatens to overwhelm us, God steps in and we experience a moment of hope. We serve a God who is faithful and never abandons us, even if it feels like that at times.

“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’
The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” – Lamentations 3:20-26

I do not know everything that is going on in the lives of those who will share my morning coffee with me today. You might be in the midst of your grief or you may be seeking healing from past hurts. My prayer is that God will use these verses to give you hope and remind you that He is faithful.

For NO ONE is abandoned by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love…
Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?
Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
Let us turn back to the Lord.
Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say,
“We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us…”
My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.
My heart is breaking…
But I call on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit.
You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!”
Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.” – Lamentations 3:31-32,39-42,49-51a,55-57

Sometimes our present suffering seems more real than the hope of our salvation — the possibility that God will step in and rescue us from our pain. Remember God loves you. Hold on to the fact that God is faithful. If you seek Him, you will find Him. If you pray to Him, you will be heard. If you cry out to Him, He will hold you. God has not abandoned you. He is with you.

Father God, I pray for the one who is sharing my morning coffee with me this morning who is overwhelmed with grief. I pray that you will make your presence known in a tangible way today. May their cries reach your ears, and may they hear your gentle response. May they know that you have not abandoned them and that your love is unfailing. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 18–20

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” – John 9:1-2

This was a question that had been asked for generations, and continues to creep into our thinking today. There is this expectation that I won’t have to pay the consequences for my sins. There is this comfortable theology that says if I am a righteous person who turns from my righteous behavior and starts to do sinful things, I am somehow protected by my previous status with God and will not be held accountable for today’s decisions. But our righteous God made Himself clear through the prophet Ezekiel.

And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die. – Ezekiel 18:4b

“‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the child pay for the parents’ sins?’ No!…The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.” – Ezekiel 18:19-22

Even while displaying justice, God is also showing mercy. Our holy God who punishes sin is also the God of grace who is making a way for the lost to find their way back to Him.

GOD IS NOT WANTING ANYONE TO PERISH.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9

This is not just a New Testament thought; this same message is evident in the book of Ezekiel. Even as God is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem as a punishment to His people for their sins, He speaks of His desire that all should come to repentance — then none should perish. He appointed Ezekiel as a “watchman” to tell those who were sinning to repent and to encourage those who were not sinning to continue in their righteousness (Ez.33:7-9). The same message of God’s desire to save the lost and to bless His people is presented in chapters 18 and 33 of Ezekiel.

“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live… The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins. And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right…then they will surely live and not die. None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live.” – Ezekiel 33:11-16

GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US.

I love that our God never gives up on us – that He is always willing to forgive, always desiring for His children to come to repentance. Often we give up on the chance that our friend or loved one will ever turn from their sinful lifestyle, but God never gives up. Just like Ezekiel, HE HAS APPOINTED US ALL AS WATCHMEN. He wants us to help bring back the lost sheep and watch over the flock so that they will not wander away. He is a loving God who wishes to extend grace to His people. But our God is also a jealous God and a just God. We have a choice to either sin or not sin, and we will be judged by our choices.

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die, says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.” – Ezekiel 18:23-24

Thank you for being a God of love and grace, who transforms our hearts so that we can be conduits of that love and grace to others. CREATE IN US A WATCHMAN’S HEART so that we will care passionately about the lost souls around us. Give us eyes to see the lost and a heart of grace to reach out to them. Use us to bring back the lost sheep and care for those in your flock, that none would be lost. Thank you for being a God of love and grace. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 17, Psalm 57

“A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers,
covered with many-colored plumage,
came to Lebanon.
He seized the top of a cedar tree
and plucked off its highest branch.
He carried it away to a city filled with merchants.
He planted it in a city of traders.
He also took a seedling from the land
and planted it in fertile soil.
He placed it beside a broad river,
where it could grow like a willow tree.
It took root there and
grew into a low, spreading vine.
Its branches turned up toward the eagle,
and its roots grew down into the ground.
It produced strong branches
and put out shoots.” – Ezekiel 17:3b-6

The Lord used this beautiful word picture to help His people understand what happened in the past, what was happening now, and what would happen one day. It was a reminder of who God is and who He will always be. Even in the midst of the exile, there was a seedling of hope planted. As long as the seedling turned its branches towards the eagle and kept its roots growing down into the fertile soul the Lord provided, it would grow strong. New shoots would produce new growth and grow new fruit.

“But then another great eagle came
with broad wings and full plumage.
So the vine now sent its roots and branches
toward him for water,
even though it was already planted in good soil
and had plenty of water
so it could grow into a splendid vine
and produce rich leaves and luscious fruit.” – Ezekiel 17:7-8

The tree had everything it needed, yet it rerouted its roots and branches towards the second eagle. The beauty and strength of the new eagle attracted the attention of the tree and it lost its purpose. But without the eagle who had planted the tree in the perfect spot for nourishment and growth, the tree would not prosper; it could not prosper.

God had exiled His people to a place where they could thrive. They were given the opportunity to live with their families and enjoy a pleasant life. It was not home and they would be aware that they could not leave, yet they would grow and thrive in Babylon. Yet the king of Israel pushed against the parameters of this exile and reached out to Egypt for rescue. Instead of humbly accepting the consequences of their rebellion, the king continued to look for salvation in sources other than God.

“So now the Sovereign Lord asks:
Will this vine grow and prosper?
No! I will pull it up, roots and all!
I will cut off its fruit
and let its leaves wither and die.
I will pull it up easily
without a strong arm or a large army.
But when the vine is transplanted,
will it thrive?
No, it will wither away
when the east wind blows against it.
It will die in the same good soil
where it had grown so well.” – Ezekiel 17:9-10

But even in the midst of this bad news, there is hope for what is ahead. God promised a new branch that would bring a new day. Its branches would grow and provide both shelter and a home. It would produce seed and new life would bloom.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches. And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said!” – Ezekiel 17:22-24

Giver of life, we look to you this morning for our sustenance. We long to be rooted in Christ, growing in strength, and producing fruit with seeds so that you can multiply new life in others through us. May our eyes stay focused on you, and may we forever worship the one who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. Lord, we give you permission to wake up any part of us that is dying and breathe new life into your children — into your Church. Amen.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.” — Jeremiah 17:7-8

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 16-17, Psalm 61

“On the day you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was not cut and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and wrapped in cloth. No one had the slightest interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On the day you were born, you were unwanted, dumped in a field and left to die. BUT I CAME BY AND SAW YOU THERE, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’ And I HELPED YOU to thrive like a plant in the field… – Ezekiel 16:4-7a

The Israelites needed someone to paint a picture for them of their unfaithfulness and disrespect. In Ezekiel 16, the Lord used a parable to describe His people as a wife who is unfaithful to her husband. God had blessed His people and they had, in turn, put other things ahead of God, making idols of the very things God had blessed them with.

Reading through this parable, I could not help but see the resemblance of this kind of unfaithfulness today. We are so quick to fall in love with the things of this world instead of running after things that have eternal value. We are willing to sacrifice so much of what God has blessed us with in order to have more and more of what the world has to offer. We run after earthly possessions and accomplishments, instead of running after God. We quickly forget all that He has done for us.

“Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. I gave you expensive clothing…I gave you lovely jewelry…And so you were adorned with gold and silver…You ate the finest food…You looked like a queen, and so you were! Your fame soon spread throughout the world because of your beauty. I dressed you in my splendor and perfected your beauty, says the Sovereign Lord.

“But you thought your fame and beauty were your own. So you gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking. You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen?…

“It seems you can never find enough new lovers! And after your prostitution there, you still were not satisfied. You added to your lovers by embracing Babylonia, the land of merchants, but you still weren’t satisfied.

“What a sick heart you have, says the Sovereign Lord, to do such things as these, acting like a shameless prostitute…so eager for sin…you are the opposite of other prostitutes. You pay your lovers instead of their paying you!” – Ezekiel 16:7-16, 28b-34

In a book that describes the wrath of God and His severe punishment on a nation that was unfaithful after He had done so much for them, He uses a parable that could easily be used to describe us.

God blesses us with time and we spend it on ourselves.
God blesses us with money and we use it to buy more of what the world has to offer.
God blesses us with a television and we watch unwholesome programs.
God blesses us with beauty and we use it to bring attention to ourselves.
God blesses us with beautiful bodies and we dress immodestly.
God blesses us with a sense of humor and we participate in coarse joking.
God blesses us with intelligence and we make our own decisions.
God blesses us with talent and we allow pride to grow.
God blesses us with family and we gossip & complain about them.

Forgive us, Lord!
Forgive us for the importance we put on the things of this world and on our own physical beauty.
Forgive us for embracing “the land of merchants” and always wanting more.
Forgive us for thinking anything you have blessed us with is ours to enjoy.
Forgive us, Lord!

“I will be a sanctuary to you during your time of exile.” – Ezekiel 11:16

Wow, these words are so powerful. God was punishing His people by allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed, including their place of worship. Why? To remind them that the Temple was never meant to BE worshiped but to be a place to worship GOD. Now the Temple is gone and they are far from their homes and all God had blessed them with, but they still had God. He was with them and He desired to be their sanctuary. He stripped them of everything so that they would fall on their knees and recognize Him as the only place to go to worship.

Lord, be our sanctuary. Lord, we long to worship you this morning. We recognize your blessings all around us and we turn our attention to you. Give us eyes to see only YOU and hearts to desire only what you desire. Lord, we fall on our knees and ask you to forgive us as a nation. Lord, turn our hearts back to you and help us to once more become a nation who puts their trust in you alone.

Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings. — Psalm 61:4

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 12:21-15:8

Israel: “Time passes and prophecies come to nothing.”

God: “I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.”

New proverb from God: “The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!”

God: “I am the Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Israel: “He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.”

God: “No more delay! I will NOW do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 12:21-28

THEY HAD LOST THEIR FEAR OF GOD.

God’s people were no longer taking Him seriously. There were even false prophets telling them what they wanted to hear — that peace would come to Jerusalem. If I say everything will be alright because I want to believe that everything will be alright, it doesn’t mean that everything will be alright.

“You have discouraged the righteous with your lies, but I didn’t want them to be sad. You have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins.” – Ezekiel 13:22

No more lying. No more telling people what they want to hear. No more building popularity. It is time to obey God and say what He is telling you to say.

THEY HAD LOST THEIR PURPOSE FROM GOD.

God also expressed his frustration toward those who were embracing things that were leading them into sin. They were pursuing the things of the world and then seeking God for advice or answers. God let them know that if they were going to reject him, He was going to reject them. They could not be apathetic towards God and still benefit from His blessings. Like a vine that bears no fruit, they had become useless. And if a vine exists for the purpose of producing fruit, yet produces no fruit, what else is it good for?

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. – Hebrews 6:7-8

“And this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Jerusalem are like grapevines growing among the trees of the forest. Since they are useless, I have thrown them on the fire to be burned. And I will see to it that if they escape from one fire, they will fall into another. When I turn against them, you will know that I am the Lord. And I will make the land desolate because my people have been unfaithful to me. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 15:6-8

Vines are only good for bearing fruit. If they are not going to bear fruit, then they are only useful for building fires — but even their fires burn too quickly, so they are still useless. We are created to live a fruitful life — a life of righteousness and good works that flow out of our faith relationship with God.

GOD WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” – John 15:1-6

Father God, thank you for creating us with a purpose in mind for our lives. Thank you for placing a desire in our hearts to please you and to serve you. As we go through our day, give us quiet moments of pondering the purpose for which you have us here today. Prune us and mold us into a grapevine whose produce comes straight from the desires of your heart. May your words in Ezekiel encourage us to turn our attention to You and remove every trace of idols from our lives. May it never be said of us that we have become useless; may our hearts be tender and responsive towards God.

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. – Ezekiel 11:19-20

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 8-12:20; Psalm 94

The story of Ezekiel’s life is both bizarre and interesting. It can be summarized in one simple statement: Ezekiel was willing to be whatever God called him to be. He was willing to be strange if that’s what God wanted him to be, if that’s what it took for God to get the attention of His people. He was willing to do whatever God asked him to do, no matter what those around him thought of his antics. Which is good because things were about to get even crazier for Ezekiel.

God took ahold of Ezekiel. In a split moment, Ezekiel went from entertaining the leaders of Judah in his home to facing what appeared to be a man who looked like gleaming ambers from the waist up and a burning fire from the waist down. In a vision God reached out with what seemed to be a hand and took Ezekiel by the hair, lifting him into the sky and transporting him back to Jerusalem.

God showed Ezekiel the detestable and wicked sins that were being committed in the Temple, sins committed in dark secret rooms but seen by God. Then Ezekiel watched as God’s wrath was poured out on the city – no mercy, no pity. The Temple courtyards filled with corpses. Then Ezekiel saw what appeared to be a throne above the heads of the cherubim.

“Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the door of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord. The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could be heard even in the inner courtyard…Then the cherubim rose upward…Then THE GLORY OF THE LORD MOVED OUT from the door of the Temple and hovered above the cherubim…” – Ezekiel 10:4-5,15a,18

EVERY SIN HAD BEEN SEEN BY GOD AND EVERY THOUGHT KNOWN BY GOD.

God knew those who remained in Jerusalem were bragging about their freedom and how they would now get all the land that was owned by those who had been taken into exile. Even in the horrible situation they were in, they continued to be greedy and prideful (11:5,15-16). They continued to have rebellious hearts, refusing to see and hear the God they believed was still in the Temple in Jerusalem (12:2).

So God called Ezekiel to be WEIRD once more. During the day, Ezekiel packed all of his belongings and moved them outside of his home – a scene that immediately caught the attention of God’s people. Then, as night fell, Ezekiel went back into his home and began digging a hole in the wall with his bare hands, just as a captive would need to do in order to escape imprisonment. He then crawled out of the hole and lifted his pack on his shoulder. His WEIRD antics had everyone’s attention now. He then gave them a message from the Lord, prophesying about the way in which King Zedekiah would soon be leaving Jerusalem. He would be captured and brought to Babylon to be a captive just as they would be. His army would be scattered and their last chance at being rescued by their king would vanish (Ezekiel 12).

“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.” – Ezekiel 12:12

EVERY SIN HAD BEEN SEEN BY GOD AND EVERY THOUGHT KNOWN BY GOD.

Even the appointed king would experience the consequences of his actions. When given the opportunity to humble himself and surrender to God’s plan, Zedekiah had cowered in fear and chose to do things his own way. There were no more chances; he had refused to obey God for the last time. His sins were laid out before the Lord and he showed no regret.

So what happens if God asks us to humble ourselves before him and repent? What will we do if God asks us to swallow our pride and surrender our authority? How will we respond if He asks us to do something out of the ordinary for Him? What happens if He asks us to do something that seems unreasonable, ridiculous, or just plain WEIRD? Are we willing to go there? Are we willing to put pride aside and do whatever God asks us to do? Are we willing to confess our sins and make restitution, taking every step the Lord requires of us?

“The Lord isn’t looking,” they say,
“and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
Think again, you fools!
When will you finally catch on?
Is he deaf—the one who made your ears?
Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you?
He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
The Lord knows people’s thoughts;
he knows they are worthless! – Psalm 94:7-11

Lord, help me to focus my eyes on you and you only. May my heart reflect the desires of your heart, giving me the willingness to daily respond in obedience to you. I want to be in the center of your will; I want to be open to anything you ask me to do for you, even if it’s far from what I expected and far from what others expect of me. Lord, send your Spirit to point out any sin in my life and guide me through the steps of restoration I need to take to make things right with other people. Melt away my pride so that I can bring you glory in my attitudes and actions today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 7; Psalm 84

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Clap your hands in horror, and stamp your feet. Cry out because of all the detestable sins the people of Israel have committed. Now they are going to die from war and famine and disease. Disease will strike down those who are far away in exile. War will destroy those who are nearby. And anyone who survives will be killed by famine. So at last I will spend my fury on them. – Ezekiel 6:11-12

“THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.” (6:14b)

The Lord had given the people of Israel chance after chance to repent. He had sent message after message revealing the punishment that would come if they did not stop their wicked ways and fully surrender their hearts to the God who had rescued them from slavery in Egypt. He had provided blessing after blessing in the land He had promised their ancestors, and yet they still were not giving God their full attention.

Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:
“The end is here!
Wherever you look—
east, west, north, or south—
your land is finished.
No hope remains,
for I will unleash my anger against you.
I will call you to account
for all your detestable sins.
I will turn my eyes away and show no pity.
I will repay you for all your detestable sins.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 7:1-4

“THEN YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.” (7:4b)

The Lord, whom we know to be slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion (Numbers 14:18), is also the God who commands obedience. The Lord of compassion and mercy is slow to anger and filled with faithfulness (Exodus 34:6), but He does not tolerate disobedience and disloyalty. He is prepared to get our attention so that we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is the Lord!

Soon I will pour out my fury on you
and unleash my anger against you.
I will call you to account
for all your detestable sins.
I will turn my eyes away and show no pity.
I will repay you for all your detestable sins.
Then you will know that it is I, the Lord,
who is striking the blow. – Ezekiel 7:8-9

“THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.” (7:27b)

Does God have your full attention during this season of your life? Do you know with confidence that you are allowing Him to be Lord in every area, with every decision, and in every relationship? Have you surrendered everything to God so that you can fully experience His kindness?

Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong. – Romans 11:22-24

Lord, we place our trust in you today. Thank you for pursuing us even when our fickle hearts have strayed. We are grateful to be recipients of your grace and mercy. We declare today that we want you and only you to be the Lord of our lives. May we experience joy today as we choose to trust in you wholeheartedly. Amen.

A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
what joy for those who trust in you. – Psalm 84:10-12

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 4-6, Psalm 51

I am a visual learner, which means I prefer to read information over listening to it. I remember facts better if I can see them. When a speaker or preacher tells a story that allows me to visualize what is happening, I am on the edge of my seat. I am more engaged if I can picture what the speaker is describing. God used some very dramatic visual aids to be performed by or lived out by Ezekiel, getting the attention of his audience with visual messages that would be hard to forget.

God called Ezekiel to be WEIRD. I am not sure that there is a better word to describe his calling. Ezekiel could have let pride get in the way and could have said, “No God, that’s just WEIRD. What would people think of me?” But instead Ezekiel experienced things like no one else ever had or ever will, all because he was willing to be WEIRD for God.

EZEKIEL WAS WILLING TO BE WEIRD IF THAT’S WHAT GOD WAS CALLING HIM TO BE.

Ezekiel took a brick and drew a map of Jerusalem on it. Similar to a young child playing with Legos, Ezekiel built a wall around the brick and then set up enemy camps to surround the city/brick, with little miniature siege ramps and battering rams. He took an iron griddle and placed it between himself and the brick (Ezekiel 4:1-3).

Then Ezekiel lay on his side facing the replica of Jerusalem and placed the sins of Israel on himself. He was tied up with ropes and confined to this position for 390 days, one day for each year of Israel’s sin. Then Ezekiel turned over and on his right side for another 40 days, one for each year of Judah’s sin. For 430 days (that’s 14 months), Ezekiel laid on his side, tied up with rope, baring his arm and prophesying Jerusalem’s destruction (4:4-8).

During this time, Ezekiel ate food he had prepared in advance and rationed out. He did this to show how food in Jerusalem would be hard to find and rationed in small portions. God asked him to prepare this bread using human dung to show how the Israelites would be forced to eat defiled bread in the Gentile lands to which they would be banished. This was when Ezekiel had a please-not-that-God moment. God relented and allowed Ezekiel to bake his bread over cow dung instead (still gross, but not quite as WEIRD).

GOD SHOWED MERCY IN THE MIDST OF THE HARD THING HE WAS ASKING EZEKIEL TO DO.

Then Ezekiel shaved his head and divided the hair into three piles. He took 1/3 of the hair and laid it on the brick replica of Jerusalem. He then acted out the siege with his miniature enemies, just as a young child would play with their toys. He took another third of his hair and spread it across his battle ground and then chopped it up with a sword. Then he took the last third of his hair and lifted it for the wind to scatter. He then took some of the hair in front of him and threw it on the fire. Some of God’s people would not survive the famine, some would die violent deaths in the battle, and some would be scattered into exile.

“But I will let a few of my people escape destruction, and they will be scattered among the nations of the world. Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins. They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.” – Ezekiel 6:8-10

The story of Ezekiel’s life is bizarre and interesting, but it comes down to one simple statement – Ezekiel was WEIRD because God called him to be WEIRD. He was willing to be WEIRD if that’s what God wanted him to be, if that’s what it took for God to get the attention of His people.

HOW WILL WE RESPOND IF GOD CALLS US TO DO SOMETHING WEIRD?

What happens if God asks us to do something outlandish for Him? What happens if He asks us to do something that seems unreasonable, ridiculous, or just plain WEIRD? Are we willing to go there? Are we willing to put pride aside and do whatever God asks us to do? Hmmmm. Will we give God our “yes” no matter how others may question or criticize us? That’s a hard question that needs some time to process in order to answer honestly. I think I will go back for a second cup of my morning coffee and seek the heart of God on this one.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you. – Psalm 51:12-13

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 1-3, Psalm 89

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. – Psalm 37:24

While Jeremiah was hearing from God from within the walls of Jerusalem, Ezekiel had already been exiled to Babylon when “he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him” (Ezekiel 1:3). I love that description! Can you testify to that action in your life?

HAVE YOU FELT THE HAND OF THE LORD TAKE HOLD OF YOU?

The call on Ezekiel’s life was a very difficult one but God equipped him for what was ahead, just as He equips us today. Through visions, Ezekiel’s eyes were opened to the horrific things God’s people were doing — the reason God was so angry and His punishment was so harsh. That is a lot for one person to know; that is a heavy burden for one man to carry. With this call came a great deal of responsibility, which added to the weight already on Ezekiel’s shoulders.

“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. If I warn the wicked saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.” – Ezekiel 3:17-19

The call on Ezekiel’s life was great, but so is the God who called him and who would equip him! All he had to do was respond in obedience to what God was calling him to do and say. He was not responsible for the choices of others, but he would be held accountable for his own response to God.

Just as Ezekiel saw the horrible and heartbreaking actions of his people, he also saw the glory of God and was filled with the Spirit. He had difficulty finding the right words for what he saw, so he described it as best he could by using phrases such as “looked like” or “what appeared to be”. He expressed his humanity by saying, “This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me.”

Above the surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me. “Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. – Ezekiel 1:26-2:2

I am so thankful that the Spirit of the Lord continues to fill us and set us on our feet when we feel overwhelmed. God also gives us His words to fill and prepare us for what is ahead.

“Open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me. It held a scroll, which he unrolled. And I saw that both sides were covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow, and pronouncements of doom. The voice said to me, “Son of man, eat what I am giving you – eat this scroll! Then go and give its message to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll. “Fill your stomach with this,” he said. And when I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth…Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.” Then the Spirit lifted me up… – Ezekiel 2:8b-3:3,10-12a

What God is calling you to do today is no heavier than the call He gave Ezekiel. Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed and have fallen on your face before the Lord. Trust God’s Spirit to lift you up off your face and fill you.

REST IN HIS HAND AS YOU FEEL THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD’S HOLD ON YOUR LIFE

“The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and turmoil, but the Lord’s hold on me was strong.” – Ezekiel 3:14

Notice Ezekiel did not say that he went in joy and peace, but rather bitterness and turmoil. God allowed Ezekiel’s heart to break at the things that were breaking His heart. The road ahead of Ezekiel would not be an easy one but neither would God leave him alone to face what He was calling him to do. In the same way, God will not leave you alone.

Are we ready to accept God’s call? When He places His Word in front of us and tells us to eat, will we find the time to consume his words and let them sink deep into our heart, listening carefully to what He has to say to us?

DO YOU FEEL THE HAND OF THE LORD ON YOUR LIFE? HIS HOLD ON YOU IS STRONG – Do not resist.

I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong. – Psalm 89:21

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36:1-21, Psalm 74

O God, why have you rejected us so long?
Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?
Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,
the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!
And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.
Walk through the awful ruins of the city;
see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. – Psalm 74:1-3

REMEMBER YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR PEOPLE, OH LORD!

Remember what Jerusalem used to be before the enemy arrived to destroy what had once been beautiful. Remember the days when your people faithfully worshiped you. Remember your love for this sinful nation — a love undeserved and now unreciprocated.

Likewise, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, desecrating the Temple of the Lord that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done. – 2 Chronicles 36:14-16

REMEMBER YOUR LOVE FOR THE LORD, OH PEOPLE!

For 23 years, Jeremiah had preached a message of repentance. He relayed every warning and each prophecy that he received from the Lord, yet the people did not listen. Then his message had changed to a declaration of the coming judgment, yet God’s people hardened their hearts and continued to desecrate the temple by worshiping false gods instead of the God who had so faithfully led them across the Red Sea, fought their battles for them, and provided for them over and over again. There would be no more talk of the coming destruction of Jerusalem; the time for judgment was now.

Then the Lord sent bands of Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Judah to destroy it, just as the Lord had promised through his prophets. These disasters happened to Judah because of the Lord’s command. He had decided to banish Judah from his presence because of the many sins of Manasseh, who had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Lord would not forgive this. – 2 Kings 24:2-4

The king took home to Babylon all the articles, large and small, used in the Temple of God, and the treasures from both the Lord’s Temple and from the palace of the king and his officials. Then his army burned the Temple of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and completely destroyed everything of value. The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. – 2 Chronicles 36:18-20

There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries;
there they set up their battle standards.
They swung their axes
like woodcutters in a forest.
With axes and picks,
they smashed the carved paneling.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground.
They defiled the place that bears your name.
Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!”
So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped. – Psalm 74:4-8

These things happened because of the Lord’s anger against the people of Jerusalem and Judah, until he finally banished them from his presence and sent them into exile. – 2 Kings 24:20

REMEMBER YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR PEOPLE, OH LORD!

Give us ears to hear your words of warning. May we see the sins of the world around us and respond in repentance instead of rebellion. We pray for revival to break out across the world, drawing all people into a growing relationship with their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Forgive us for our unfaithfulness and lead us back into your arms of grace. Amen.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. – Matthew 6:9b-13(NKJV)

So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said. – 2 Chronicles 36:21