Ezekiel with Isaac.

Recently, due to my pledge to read the Bible more, I have been going through the book of Ezekiel with one of my best friends, Isaac. I would be willing to bet that most of the people reading this blog have never gone through the book of Ezekiel before, because I never had until Isaac told me that he was, and we could keep each other accountable to our desire to seek God in his word. We have been reading 2 chapters a day, and calling one another (almost) every night to catch up on where we saw God in the passage, and how our hearts are doing in our ministry.

So, Ezekiel.

The first two chapters were a lot. Ezekiel is sitting by the side of this river in Babylon during Israel's exile, when all of the sudden he hears God's voice and sees the four creatures that have a way of popping up at different times in the Bible (the standard 4 faces, wings, feet like calves, wheels with thousands of eyes, proclaiming the presence of an almighty God that you'd expect from the Ruler of the universe). Ezekiel is fearful, and falls on his face in reverence, but as God begins to explain to him what he has in store he commands him to stand up and be ready.

As Isaac and I talked about how cool this was, we struggled to find a real applicable theme in the first two chapters. But we definitely discovered, through conversation, some of what God commands of us as believers today.

Looking at Ezekiel's reverence, and how God commanded him to stand before he explained how he would use him to bring the Gospel to Israel, we ought to take the same posture when God calls us to do his work. We are always to be reverent of God, but when the time comes for us to go, we must be ready to act. We must be prepared to do the will of God at a moments notice, because we never know when God could call us to do something big. But also, our reverence is important. Every time we get near the holiness of God we should check ourselves just a little bit because we have done nothing to deserve a place in his presence, but, in fact, have done everything to earn ourselves death in his sight. But, Christians can rejoice because God's holy justice is buffered by his perfect love. We have the pleasure of serving a God how is holy in justice towards those who rebel against him, but also perfect in love and mercy towards those he has redeemed and called according to his purposes.

As I kept reading through chapter 4, several points kept coming up as God was telling Ezekiel where to go and what to do. God kept telling Ezekiel to preach boldly, to tell the rebellious people of Israel that the wrath of God was coming, but he said that some would not listen. Some people Ezekiel would talk to would let his words pass through their ears and not change.

This definitely has an application to today; we are called by God to share the Gospel always. We are supposed to be intentional with non-believers to share the good news with them, but there will be people who will not want anything to do with God, or the message we bring. Which brings the point around; God is sovereign, he has not called us to change lives, but to be obedient and share the good news. People have never saved other people, we are all broken just the same, but God is the one who changes people. The only difference between me and the worse serial killer on death row right now is Jesus. Jesus changes people, we are just called to preach in boldness and clarity as we speak the truth of the Gospel in love.

Chapters 5 & 6 gave me some more clarity as to why God called me into Kansas, and were full of wisdom about God, but in a different way than I am used to seeking it.

Chapters 5 & 6 were all about how God plans to "spend [His] fury" on Israel for their idolatry. Idolatry in the Bible has never been something that God has dealt with lightly, and their are gruesome details explaining God's plan for Israel because of how their hearts have turned from him to things he created. His jealousy for the hearts of his people is clearly displayed in the seriousness of his discipline towards his people.

Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." So that same jealous God is still on the throne calling us away from idolatry. I was worshipping the comfort of friendships, the convenience of having my family close by, and trying to find my joy and satisfaction in my surroundings. But God's seriousness of his jealousy for my hearts affection has been clearly displayed in how he called me out to Kansas to get me isolated from distractions and all the idols I used to worship. He is wanting my heart; all of it. 

I am praying that this time i spend reading the Bible every day would be fruitful, and that I would continue to learn more about God and his desire to capture my heart and use me. Please be praying that I have a genuine hunger to see God work in and through me.

I realize that I forgot to put a picture of the Flint Hills in my last post, so here's a picture or two.

Yes, this really is Kansas.

John3:30

-Daniel