Promiscuous people

Today: Ezekiel 16-17

I realize that the title of this post may seem strange, but it coincides with the story of God's people in today's passage.

God gives Ezekiel an amazing story illustrating how His people treated Him. God was like the good guy who rescued a battered and abandoned woman--and then cleaned her up, married her, loved her and showered her with the best kind of life--only to find that she left it all to become a whore (God's word choice, not mine). One of the worst parts? This woman killed her own children by sacrificing them to idols. Whoa!

But hold on--God's people weren't literally prostituting themselves out to others. They were whoring their hearts and their worship. They abandoned the God who rescued them time and time again--for idols. They chased after empty pleasures and faux religion when real love was right in front of their noses. Sound familiar?

The story in today's passage was directed toward Israel thousands of years ago--but it is a poignant picture of mankind, even today.

I don't know about you, but when it comes to God (or anything, really!), I don't want to be a whore. I don't want to treat true love like trash. I don't want to chase phantom religion that adds up to nothing. I want to remember my rescue--and the One who gave me life, love and a reason to be.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 18-20

The Rescuer

Today: Exodus 10-12

If I described someone as a "rescuer," what would you picture?

Would you envision a firefighter? Chuck Norris? A knight in shining armor? A military officer? A soup kitchen volunteer? A drug rehab therapist? A couple of mice from a cartoon who attempt to help a young orphan girl escape dangerously mining for a diamond (I'm totally dating myself here!)?

Have you ever been rescued?

One interesting thing about rescuers is that many times, they're underappreciated. Their efforts are often unnoticed, unrewarded and unaccepted. And there are some people who ultimately choose not to be rescued even when rescuers are willing to help them.

In today's passage, we read about a few people who chose that path (like Pharaoah and many of his Egyptian leaders). They rejected God's rescue plan for His people...which ultimately, cost them a lot. God gave them opportunities (at least 10, to be exact)...but they chose not to follow His direction--I think largely because of pride. To be rescued, you must first recognize that you need some help, that you don't have all the answers. That takes some humility.

Let's take a look at a portion of God's rescue plan for His people:

Moses assembled all the elders of Israel.

He said, "Select a lamb for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb.

Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the bowl of blood

and smear it on the lintel and on the two doorposts.

No one is to leave the house until morning.

God will pass through to strike Egypt down.

When he sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts,

God will pass over the doorway;

he won't let the destroyer enter your house to strike you down with ruin.
"Keep this word.

It's the law for you and your children, forever.

When you enter the land which God will give you as he promised,

keep doing this.

And when your children say to you, 'Why are we doing this?'

tell them:

'It's the Passover-sacrifice to God

who passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt

when he hit Egypt with death

but rescued us.'"

God's rescue plan here is very interesting. He could have chosen to just save the Israelites--I mean, He knew who they were without the blood on their doorways, right? But He required them to take a few little steps of faith--to follow His very specific instructions. They had to first believe they needed to be rescued and accept His plan in order to be spared by a sheer act of grace.

Tomorrow: Exodus 13-15