Ezekiel 16 (please click here to read the passage)
Ok, wow. I know this is a longer reading, but I encourage you to see it through. The Lord speaks of His relationship with His people and all that He has done to redeem them, but we also read how far they have fallen. The imagery used here shows how broken the people of God have become, worse than any other group around them. The imagery the Lord uses describes their fall from His presence. But then, which is why I want you to read this chapter all the way through, is the promise of something even greater to come, which is incredible.
Just so you know, this chapter was lived out in the life of Hosea, the "minor" prophet. You should read his story in Hosea chapters 1-3, which is only a few pages away (and it's an amazing story when you understand who Hosea is—a godly priestly guy—and what God called him to do as a living parable).
In this chapter, the imagery of God saving the Hebrew people and lavishing love on them is fantastic (verses 1-15). What great love and mercy from God.
But then the imagery of the people's fall is equally powerful and deeply disturbing. What the people are doing is utterly detestable to the Lord. The language the Lord uses to describe what the people have done puts it all into perspective. They have prostituted themselves, they have offered up their children as sacrifices, and they have taken everything that God has given them and perverted it, and God says that they are WORSE than Sodom and Samaria!
But…, the amazing thing is that God is not going to walk away from them. Yes, they will be disciplined for their failures, but discipline is the key word (Hebrews 12.7-11). The third part of the chapter incredible. After the Lord has described the people’s utter failure and the discipline that they will receive, the Lord also says something astonishing. He says that He will remember His covenant with the people. If you recall, God is the one who has made this covenant with the people, and God will not let His glory fade or diminish. So, after the people are disciplined, God will keep all His promises, and the last verse of this chapter is one of great hope: a shadow of Jesus. Jesus is for us the ultimate atonement.
What great love God has lavished on the people and will lavish on them again. What great love God has and will lavish on us through His Son Jesus. Awesome.
But I’m left with a lingering question: how do we avoid going down that path that leads us away from the Lord? The answer is not all that complicated, and we touched on it yesterday; just be with Jesus. Take time every day to pursue your relationship with Jesus; talk with Him, listen to Him, and know Him, really know Jesus, not in an academic sense but in and through a deep personal relationship with Jesus.
There is another amazing piece you can add onto this to help you grow and press on in your relationship with Jesus—add older godly people to your life—call them mentors, life coaches, or any other title you wish, but really this is what you need to do; you need to be honest with them about your life and relationship with Christ and give them permission to speak into your life and you have to commit to listen them. I have several people who are allowed to do that with me, and it is amazing, not always easy, but amazing.
It is still all about Jesus, but godly partners in your walk of faith are a great blessing as you seek to grow in your relationship with Christ.
In my experience, if you start doing it and stick with it, you will be amazed at how much more you want.
Take this challenge, set aside time to be with Jesus each day for a month, and see what happens. Schedule that time and don’t miss it, not even once. You know it's going to be better than you imagine, right? So why wait?
God bless you, and know that you are prayed for this morning!
Scott