When People Don’t Make Sense—Ezekiel 33:11

September 1, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Choices, Depression, Divorce, Ezekiel, Family, Parenting, The Hurting World with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 32:17 through Ezekiel 33:20; Jeremiah 52:28-30, Psalm 137; 1 Chronicles 4:24 through 1 Chronicles 5:17

We’ve all heard it said, maybe we’ve said it ourselves; maybe we’ve read a book about it…

Sometimes, God doesn’t make sense. 

Premature death, hunger, sickness, suffering, orphans; it breaks our heart and causes us to ask “why.”

I wonder if God ever says, “People just don’t make sense.”

Yes, He made us and gave us the ability to choose.  And yes, He knows and understands our humanness, but He must get frustrated with us; frustrated with our choices.

In Ezekiel 33:11, we see one of those times when God must have said to Himself as he shook His head…  people just don’t make sense:

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. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?

This scripture verse reveals the heart of God…the heart of a father.

Can you hear the Lord’s sadness over the senseless death of the wicked?

He’s pleading with them through the prophet Ezekiel to turn from their wicked ways.

As a parent, it’s terribly frustrating to sit by and watch my children make a choice that I know will hurt them in the end.  How much more frustrating must it be for God, after all He knows what the results of our decisions before we make them.

I’m sure people don’t make sense to God when…

  • We choose death over eternal life
  • When we choose to talk to everyone else but the God of the Universe
  • When we choose to spend time staring into a T.V. or computer screen instead of reading His love letters to us
  • We abuse the bodies He gave us
  • We give more of ourselves to our jobs than the people we love
  • We choose to keep our Savior a secret
  • We choose to ignore His commandments

Friends, God has given us the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  God is watching anxiously to see which choice we make.  Let’s choose life today so that we and our descendants might live (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Heavenly Father, we know we do many things that just don’t make sense. Please forgive us when we choose the world and its enticements instead of You and the things that hold eternal significance.  Holy Spirit draw us to you.  Jesus, make us more like you.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Chronicles 5:18-26, 1 Chronicles 6:3b, 1 Chronicles 6:4-15, Chronicles 7:1- 8:28

5 Things We Can Learn From Dry Bones—Ezekiel 37:3

August 31, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Depression, Ezekiel, Failure, Faith, God Speaks today, Prayer, The Hurting World, Tough Times, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading; Ezekiel 37:1 through Ezekiel 39:29; Ezekiel 32:1-16

God asked Ezekiel:

Son of Man, can these bones becoming living people again?   –Ezekiel 37:3

Ezekiel had three possible answers:

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Maybe

Ezekiel said “no” to all three and answered with a statement of faith:

O Sovereign Lord, you alone know the answer to that.

If that was a faith checkup, Ezekiel passed.

The Lord told Ezekiel that the dry bones represented the people of Israel who had lost all hope of going back to their homeland.  The Lord said He was going to open the graves of exile and cause them to rise again and bring them back to the land of Israel. The Lord was going to put His Spirit in the Israelites so they would live again and return to their own land. (Ezekiel 37:11-14, my paraphrase)

It’s easy for us to zoom past this and not grasp the life of hopelessness the Israelites were living through.  They needed a miracle and had lost all hope of getting one.

What are you facing today that looks hopeless from a natural standpoint?

  • Physical challenges and illness
  • Relationship worries
  • Financial Distress
  • Job loss
  • Overwhelming grief
  • Spiritual Dryness
  • Emotional  weariness

Does it look as hopeless as the possibility of old, dry bones coming together and growing muscle and flesh and then living again ? (Ezekiel 37:4-9)

When you’re facing a seemingly hopeless situation do you ever struggle with knowing what to believe, how to feel, and what to speak?

Ezekiel’s answer to God’s question (Ezekiel 37:3), gives us some guidance for getting through “seemingly” hopeless times.

1.         It’s okay to not have an answer

2.         It’s okay to voice the impossibility of the situation to your God

3.         It’s okay to release the responsibility of the outcome to the Lord

4.         Reliance on God’s sovereignty gives peace in the worst of situations

5.         God knows the answer to every situation

Why would God tell Ezekiel all of this?  What was the purpose of the bone prophesy?

When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken! –Ezekiel 37:13-14 (emphasis mine)

Why do we need to read the complicated book of Ezekiel?

Why do we need to make every effort to understand prophesy?

So that when God’s Word comes to pass…

we will know that the Lord is God!

Friends I’m very grateful to Ezekiel for keeping it real.  There are things we know and there are many things we don’t know.  All we really need to know is that our God is the Sovereign Lord of our lives   The more we know Him, the less we are bothered by the big questions in life.

It’s okay to say “I don’t know, but He knows.”

Heavenly Father, help us to grow each day in the knowledge that you are the Sovereign Lord of our lives and you can be trusted!  Longing to know You more.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

 

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 32:17 through Ezekiel 33:20; Jeremiah 52:28-30, Psalm 137; 1 Chronicles 4:24 through 1 Chronicles 5:17

Words That Can Take the Fun Out of a Blessing—Ezekiel 36:32

August 30, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Biblical Principles, Blessings, Ezekiel, Holiness with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 34:1 through Ezekiel 36:38

“Dianne, I’m going to bless you but you don’t deserve it!”  Ouch!  Those words could sure take the fun out my blessing.

As a parent I’m sad to say that I must have said that to my kids at some point, but hearing it from God, now that’s another story…

Things are looking up for the Israelites, God says He’s bringing them back to their home land; they will be coming home soon (36:8)!

  • I care about you (v. 9)
  • I will pay attention to you (v.9)
  • Your ground will be plowed and your crops planted (v.9)
  • I will greatly increase the populations of Israel (v.10)
  • The ruined cities will be rebuilt (v.10)
  • I will increase your people and your animals (v.11)
  • I will make your more prosperous than you were before (v.11)

Just think about it, the Israelites are in exile in Babylon, thinking they’re never going home, when Ezekiel shares the good news with them.  Surely the celebration plans were already beginning when Ezekiel tells them the sobering reason they are going home—

Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.  I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 36: 22-23 emphasis mine)

“God, you mean it’s not about me?”

“Lord, You would bless me to protect Your Holy Name?”

“Lord, You would bless me so that others would know that You are the Lord?”

What would happen if our prayers, our desires, our priorities, our time, talent, and treasure were all about glorifying the Name of the Lord and causing others to know Him?

We would be world-changers; not frustrated, burned-out, tired,

trying-to-make-it Christians.

How do we stop the “selfishness train” to nowhere and get on the “it’s all about Him rocket-ship” to a life that makes a difference for the Kingdom?

Ask God to do what he promised to do for the Israelites:

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. –Ezekiel 36:26-27

Heavenly Father, in my natural unholy state, I am a disgrace to Your Name, but because of Your Son, Jesus Christ I can have a new heart and a new spirit.  I can be holy, tender and responsive to Your Spirit so that Your Name will be glorified and others will know You more.  Help me walk in that confidence today! Lord, I don’t deserve it but bless me for the honor of Your Name.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller

 Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 37:1 through Ezekiel 39:29; Ezekiel 32:1-16

When You Ask God for Advice You Should Take It–Jeremiah 42:3-43:7

August 29, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Jeremiah, leadership, Obedience, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Trust, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 42:1-44:30; Ezekiel 33:21-33

Do you ever ask someone for advice knowing that you aren’t going to take it?

Or,

Maybe you ask 5 or 6 people and take the advice that got the most votes.

Or,

Maybe you do what  Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the other proud men did… you refuse the advice because it wasn’t what you wanted to do in the first place.  They wanted God to approve their plans and when He didn’t they decided to go their own way.

Then all the guerrilla leaders, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, from the least to the greatest, approached  Jeremiah the prophet. They said, “Please pray to the Lord your God for us. As you can see, we are only a tiny remnant compared to what we were before.  Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go.”  –Jeremiah 42:1-3

Jeremiah prayed and ten days later the Lord answered:

‘Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you.  Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore,’ says the Lord. ‘For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power.  I will be merciful to you by making him kind, so he will let you stay here in your land.‘    –Jeremiah 42:10-12

But, it wasn’t what they wanted to hear:

When Jeremiah had finished giving this message from the Lord their God to all the people, Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the other proud men said to Jeremiah, “You lie! The Lord our God hasn’t forbidden us to go to Egypt! Baruch son of Neriah has convinced you to say this, because he wants us to stay here and be killed by the Babylonians or be carried off into exile.”  –Jeremiah 43:1-3

The people refused to obey the voice of the Lord and went to Egypt.

It’s one thing to refuse advice from family, friends, or coworkers, but it’s a whole different ballgame when you ask advice from the God of the universe and refuse to take it.

Friends, because of Jesus we don’t have to go to a prophet or priest for advice, we can hear from God ourselves.  God sent the Holy Spirit to be our counselor, but how often to we take advantage of this gift?

If we are smart, we will

  • Ask God’s advice about anything that has life-changing impact
  • Wait for Him to speak (Jeremiah waited 10 days)
  • Do what He says

Heavenly Father, it’s so easy to read about these guys and analyze and criticize but how many times have I done the same thing?  Because of Your Word, the Bible I know Your advice on many topics yet, I have either refused to read it or gone directly against it time after time. Lord, forgive me.  Holy Spirit, speak loudly!  I want to hear Your voice.  I want to take Your advice.  Make me like You Jesus!

In Your Name I pray.  Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 34:1-36:38

Are You Gloating? Stop it! –Obadiah 1:13

August 28, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Biblical Principles, Depression, Divorce, Forgiveness, Obadiah, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Lamentations 5:1-22; Obadiah 1:1-21; 2 Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 40:7-41:18

Gloating defined: To feel or express great, often malicious, pleasure or self-satisfaction:

When was the last time you had great pleasure and self-satisfaction over someone else’s pain?

I wish I could say that since I became a Christian (in the 5th grade) I’ve never gloated, but of course, that would be a lie.  Today’s reading made it very clear to me just how much the Lord hates gloating!

“Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded, you stood aloof, refusing to help them.

Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies.

  • You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands.
  • You should not have rejoiced when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune.
  • You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble.
  • You should not have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity.
  • You should not have gloated over their destruction when they were suffering such calamity.
  • You should not have seized their wealth when they were suffering such calamity.
  • You should not have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape.
  • You should not have captured the survivors and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble.  –Obadiah 1:10-14

In these verses the prophet Obadiah was talking to the Edomites.  Remember the story of Jacob and Esau?  The Edomites were the descendants of Esau and they were really mad about the whole birthright thing (Genesis 25:19-34).  Because of this the Edomites hated the Jews (Jacobs descendants) and did their best to cause them pain and suffering whenever possible.

The more I think about this, unforgiveness is most likely at the root of our gloating.  I know that most of the “gloating” I’ve done has been wrapped up in anger, hurt and unforgiveness.  It was true of the Edomites as well, they never really forgave Jacob for stealing their birthright and blessing.  No matter how unfair it is, we have to forgive.  Forgiveness is a process and the way you know you’ve truly forgiven is when you have the opportunity to gloat and you don’t!

(For more help with unforgiveness read The Phases of Forgiveness)

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I’ve enjoyed the pain of others.  Shine a light on my heart and make me clean.  Lord, help me to forgive quickly and totally.  Help me to give grace to others as You have given it to me.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller


Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 42:1-44:30; Ezekiel 33:21-33

When Everything You’ve Hoped for is Lost—Lamentations 3:18-26

August 27, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Depression, Encouragement, Jeremiah, Lamentations, The Power of Words, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Lamentations 2:1 through Lamentations 4:22

Hope is a powerful force.  When you have hope you can do the physically and mentally impossible, but when hope is gone you turn into an emotionless shell that just exists.

Most of my life I’ve been a person  full of hope. I love to plan and think about the future.  I’ve never spend a lot of time on the past; I’d rather dream about things to come.

EXCEPT

In a few

DARK and DESPERATE TIMES

When hope was lost

Times

When everything I had dreamed about and everything I thought I was supposed to be, was gone, seemingly forever.  In these times I knew what Solomon meant when he said in Proverbs 13:12 that hope deferred makes the heart sick.

Jeremiah knew how I felt and he knew how you feel:

I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.  I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. –Lamentations 3:18-20

When we reach a place in life where we don’t expect or believe things will get any better…

What do we do?

We do what Jeremiah did; we talk to ourselves.

“Self-talk” is a term psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, coaches and trainers use every day.  Just like most successful life skills, self-talk originated in the Bible.

Self-Talk is our internal dialogue, our thoughts. It is those thoughts, positive or negative, that end up shaping our lives, and results in the decisions we make, personally, professionally and spiritually.

The most important voice we will ever hear other than the voice of God is our own voice.  What we say to ourselves will either cause us to rise above life’s trials and tribulations or fall beneath the weight of them.

Jeremiah spent 20 verses venting, complaining, and laying his feelings on the table; then in verse 21 he grabbed himself by the collar, actually they didn’t have collars then :-) , and used one of the great eraser words--

Yet

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 3:21-26  (emphasis mine)

Friends, we need to fight like Jeremiah to preserve our hope. When everyone says there’s no hope, we must say to ourselves, “No matter what the circumstances look like, I will hope in God!”  This is one of the few things in life that no one can take away from us, but we can give it away, if we’re not careful.

In Psalms 42 and 43, David said to himself three times:

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

Psalms 42:11


Heavenly Father, help us to grasp the importance of our thoughts and our words.  Help us to daily work with You and not against You as we think and speak.  Holy Spirit, show us the thoughts and words that aren’t pleasing to You.  Teach us how use the weapon of self-talk to win the battle for our hope.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:Lamentations 5:1-22; Obadiah 1:1-21; 2 Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 40:7 through Jeremiah 41:18

Is Ignorance Really Blissful?—2 Chronicles 36:15-16

August 26, 2012 in 2 Chronicles, 2012 Journey, God Speaks today, Parenting, Spiritual Disciplines, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Jeremiah 39:11-18; Jeremiah 40:1-6; 2 Kings 25:8-21; Jeremiah 52:12-27; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Lamentations 1:1-22

My husband Harry has often said that he believes God instituted parenting so that we could understand His heart.  When we see our Heavenly Father through the lens of a parent, our parent, His Word and His ways are overflowing with love, mercy, and kindness.

From the first day I found out I was pregnant with my first child until this very moment my desire for my children has always been to lead them to Christ and to protect them from the tough things in life.  I want to teach them every lesson I’ve learned so they don’t have to make the same mistakes.

My love for my children pales in comparison to the way our Heavenly Father loves us.  My life experience and knowledge of the world is like looking at life through a pinhole compared to the knowledge of our God, who simultaneously sees, knows, and understands the past, present, and the future.

But in the same way my children some times go their own way and do their own thing, we ignore the warnings of our Heavenly Father and choose our own way instead of following the One who divinely knows best.

Can you hear God’s parental side coming out in 2 Chronicles 36:15-16?

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.

“Mocked these messengers of God and despised their words…”

Sometimes the only way we will learn is to be forced to live with the consequences.  This goes for all of the human race not just children.  I wonder if our God is saying to Himself (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and maybe even the angels…

“I have provided the people of the 21st century with my guidebook to victorious living on this earth, the Bible.  I love them so much I’ve recorded my words to warn them of the pitfalls of this earthly life and to teach them how to be Jesus to the world.  But my people insult me;  they don’t even know what my Word says.  Ignorance of my Word is no excuse for disobedience.”

In last night’s message, Kraig Krempa, executive pastor at Niceville Assembly said, “What we read is how we’re supposed to live, but by-in-large the church doesn’t read the Bible.”

When we as Christians stand before God, we won’t be able to blame parents, teachers, authors or pastors for their misinterpretations or our lack of knowledge of God’s Word; it’s our responsibility to know Him through His Word.  But the mercy of the Lord is amazing; He sent the Holy Spirit to be our interpreter, IF we open the Bible and spend time with Him, He will teach us!

Ignorance certainly won’t be blissful the day we stand before our God!

Heavenly Father, Your Word is life to us! Being ignorant of Your Word is a tool that Satan has used since the Garden of Eden.  Help us to resist this enemy whose number one goal is to keep us from Knowing You.  Holy Spirit, draw us to your Word, teach us your ways, make us like You and use us for Your Glory!

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller


Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Lamentations 2:1 through Lamentations 4:22

When Things Get Worse…

August 25, 2012 in 2 Kings, 2012 Journey, Biblical Principles, Depression, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 26:15 through Ezekiel 28:26; 2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 52:6-11; Jeremiah 39:2-10

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them.  I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people.  They will live safely in Israel and build homes and plant vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God.”

Can you imagine being a Jew exiled in Babylon hearing this prophesy in Ezekiel 28:25-26?

I’m sure there was celebration, excitement, and expectation throughout every Jewish family trapped in Babylon.  If I had been a Jew in Babylon and heard that prophesy I would have started packing my bags, making my plans, and looking forward to the day when my people were once again seen by neighboring nations as “God’s chosen.”

But, what happened next would have made me cancel the moving van and realize “going home” wasn’t going to be a reality any time soon.

Two and a half years later, on July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, the Babylonians broke through the wall, and the city fell.  All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, and Nebo-sarsekim, a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers. –Jeremiah 39:2-3

The city of Jerusalem had been destroyed.  But what about Ezekiel’s prophesy?  Maybe he didn’t  r-e-a-l-l-y hear from God.  Maybe we will never go home.  Maybe we will never be “God’s chosen people” again.

Have you ever felt this way?

You read a passage of scripture in God’s Word, believed it pertained to your situation, believed God spoke to you and promised a breakthrough…

…and then things got worse.

There are two ways we can look at these times:

  • God, why would you give me false hope?
  • God, thank you for giving me hope so I can survive these difficult days!

Friends, if God said it—it will come to pass; the how and when are His to determine. That’s His job; He’s God.

Our job is to…

  • Trust God–Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6
  • Believe God–In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” Galatians 3:6
  • Have Faith in God’s Word and His Promises–And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Yes, things got worse for the Jews before they got better, but they did get better and every promise God made came true.  We can expect the same (Acts 10:34-35).

Heavenly Father, help us to trust You, believe You, and have faith in Your Word and Your Promises.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller


Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Jeremiah 39:11-18; Jeremiah 40:1-6; 2 Kings 25:8-21; Jeremiah 52:12-27; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Lamentations 1:1-22

Do You Have a Rejection Phobia?—Jeremiah 33:25

August 24, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Biblical Principles, Divorce, Family, Issues Women Face, Jeremiah, Marriage, Rejection, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Jeremiah 32:1 through 33:26; Ezekiel 26:1-14

Is the fear of rejection something you occasionally battle or does this fear run your life and hold you back like a ship’s anchor?

No one is immune to this fear/phobia.  We can be fearless in some areas, maybe most areas of our life and then have one area that we are petrified at the thought of being rejected, tossed aside or not included.

In Jeremiah 32, Jerusalem was under siege from the Babylonians and Jeremiah was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace.  The Lord sent a message to the Israelites through Jeremiah:

I will hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and he will capture it.  The Babylonians outside the walls will come in and set fire to the city. They will burn down all these houses where the people provoked my anger by burning incense to Baal on the rooftops and by pouring out liquid offerings to other gods.  Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days. They have infuriated me with all their evil deeds,” says the Lord.  “From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it. –Jeremiah 32:28-31

If you were a Jew living in that day, would you have felt rejected?

It’s one thing to be rejected by a stranger, friend, or family member, but to think you’ve been rejected by the God of the universe; that must be a pretty lonely feeling.

The Lord heard the talk on the streets and brought it up to Jeremiah:

“Have you noticed what people are saying?—‘The Lord chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!’ They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation. –Jeremiah 33:24

To the Jews and the people of other heathen nations it probably looked like God was rejecting Israel—everything that could go wrong did.  I’m sure the Jews kept saying, “But we are ‘God’s chosen people’; this shouldn’t be happening to us!”

Have you ever said that?

“Lord, this shouldn’t be happening, I’m Your child.  I’m serving You!”

Have You forgotten about me?

Have You rejected me?

Here’s what the Lord said to the Jews and to us (see Galatians 3:6-9):

I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky.  I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them. –Jeremiah 33:25-26

Friends, we live in a fallen world.  Imperfect people will reject us, things will seem to work against us, but make no mistake

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your God Will Never Reject You!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

He will restore you to wholeness–Just Trust Him!

The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. –Joel 2:25

Heavenly Father, the fear of rejection is like an epidemic in the Christian world today.  Help us to know that we can count on you to never fail us or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5).  Holy Spirit, help us to walk in confidence knowing that the One, True, Living God will ALWAYS be for us , so who can be against us (Romans 8:31).  Jesus, help us to do the work you’ve called us to do with boldness and confidence for Your Glory and Your Honor.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 26:15 through Ezekiel 28:26; 2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 52:6-11; Jeremiah 39:2-10

Your Dearest Treasure—Ezekiel 24:15-16

August 23, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Biblical Principles, Commitment, Ezekiel, Faith with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 24:15 through Ezekiel 25:17; Jeremiah 34:1-22; Jeremiah 21:1-14; Ezekiel 29:1-16; Ezekiel 30:20 through Ezekiel  31:18

What is your dearest treasure?

Ezekiel’s dearest treasure was his wife.  The King James Version calls her “the delight of his eyes.” When I think about Ezekiel’s life as a prophet it’s easy to understand how important his wife was to him.  God had called him to bring difficult messages to the Jewish people while he was held captive in Babylon.  I’m sure many times he felt as though he was completely alone; except for his wife.

This word from the Lord must have felt like a dagger through his heart:

Then this message came to me from the Lord:  “Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure. Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears.  Groan silently, but let there be no wailing at her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the usual rituals of mourning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends.” –Ezekiel 24:15-17

My first thought after reading these verses was, “Lord, why would you go to such great length to send Israel a message.”  I’m thinking like a human and seeing this earthly life and earthly love as the most important gifts we have and wondering why in the world would God waste all that to send a message to some rebellious people; but God’s ways are not like our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and this earthly life is just a second in the scope of eternity.

The thought of Ezekiel’s wife dying a premature death must have been an overwhelming; asking Ezekiel not to show any sorrow at her death was completely unheard of.  This is totally contrary to Old Testament funeral practices, which featured loud wailings and passionate expressions of grief.   Demonstrative grief and sorrow was expected and seen as a sign of great love of love for the one who had died.

The death of Ezekiel’s wife was a sign designed to portray the loss of God’s blessing for Jerusalem (24:15–24). The “dearest treasure” (24:16) referred to Ezekiel’s wife. The same expression was used in 24:21 to refer to the Jerusalem temple. As Ezekiel was forbidden the customary mourning practices with regard to his wife’s death, the people were not to mourn God’s judgment on Jerusalem, for it was just (24:22–23). (Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary)

Ezekiel’s level of love and commitment to his God and the office of a prophet is the ultimate love story and God’s example of how the Jewish people were supposed to act when God’s judgment would fall on Jerusalem.

WHY—

Would God ask so much of Ezekiel?

Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold—their joy and glory, their heart’s desire, their dearest treasure—I will also take away their sons and daughters. And on that day a survivor from Jerusalem will come to you in Babylon and tell you what has happened.  And when he arrives, your voice will suddenly return so you can talk to him, and you will be a symbol for these people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 24:25-27 (Emphasis mine)

Friends, in our lives we’ve all had things happen to us that just don’t make sense.  It’s hard for us to believe our Heavenly Father would allow us to walk through such pain and sorrow.  In these hard times our continued commitment to the Lord may be the greatest testimony of the reality of Christ an unbeliever will ever see.  Your testimony could make a difference between heaven and hell for that person.  Your testimony could be the only thing that gets them through their pain and sorrow.

Your Heavenly Father could be saying to you, “________________, you are a symbol for these people.  Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

Heavenly Father, help us to reflect our trust in You in the good times and the hard times of our lives.  Help others to “know You more” through the testimony of our lives.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Jeremiah 32:1 through 33:26; Ezekiel 26:1-14

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