Soooo tomorrow will be day 70 of the plan - which means we have twenty more days to go. This time through it struck me the extent God went to in warning Israel and Judah. Not to mention how much Ezekiel was called to surrender in obedience to God. It blows my mind. He laid on one side for 390 days - straight. He lost his wife and was called to not mourn and she was the delight of his eyes. He was called to be a watchman for Israel - how appropriate, right? I just googled to see what the name Ezekiel means - it means God's strength - his life proclaims this so beautifully.
There were so many passages that I loved in this week's readings, like in Ezekiel 18 - when God says that each person stands and lives or falls and dies according to their own choices (not the choices of their child or parents), vs 20 "The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them", or when God asks in vs. 23, "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD, "Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" or the powerful call to repentance in vs 30-32 - "Repent! Turn away from all of your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. (anyone else think of Cain here? Where God warned him to take action coupled with the warning that sin desired to be master over him, but that he MUST conquer it...and then what happened when Cain did not obey?) Ezekiel continues, "Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit." And then the anguish of this question "Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone", declares the Sovereign LORD, "Repent and live!"
Repent and live. Turn from your sin. Turn now, while it is today - seek the LORD while He may be found. Isaiah 55:6
No comments:
Post a Comment