As I am writing this post, it occurs to me that these short droughts in my spiritual life are always preceded by intense breakthroughs in my relationship with God. When I hear a sermon or read something that really speaks to me and kicks my intensity up a notch, he comes after me. Not God, but the devil. He sneaks in and begins to coax me out of the arms of my Father. He is so sneaky that I don't even know it's him.
And now that I have had this epiphany, I am happy. I am rejoicing and praising the love of my Father, that his ways are working in me. This means that even though I may have drawn away from him I can still hear his voice. And he doesn't have to yell this time, just a firm warning will do to bring me back to where I need to be. I can only hope that someday it will only take a whisper, and shortly after that, I will not stray at all because my instinct will be to stay right by his side.
As I do each time before I begin writing, I pray that God will show me what it is that he would like for me to say, to give me the words that someone else needs to read. I let my Bible fall open, figuring that it would open to Esther or James or John, to one of the books that I have spent significant time in. But tonight it opened to Ezekiel...one that I don't have a single mark, note or highlight in.
So, I started reading it. Chapter One is really trippy, either Ezekiel is on some serious drugs, or God really revealed himself to him! As I skim the book (it's a long, very repetitive, one) I start to see some similarities in my current situation and the general state of this world in which we live. Complacency, idolatry and rebellion have taken over the hearts of the exiled Jews. God has given Ezekiel his words to speak to the Jews "whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious." (2:7) Then I come across one of the "featured verses" in my Bible...
"I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them, I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh." ~Ezekiel 11:19
I still marvel over God's power to show me exactly what it is that I need to see or hear. One of the other things that stands out to me is the repetition, over and over, of God saying, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says..."and, "they will know that I am the Lord."
So you said, and again I know, therefore I am renewed in my commitment to you...
