Your job is to speak

Today: Ezekiel 1-4

I'll admit: The book of Ezekiel opens up in kind of a...weird...way. There's a prophet who has a science fiction-like vision from God. God speaks to him and tells him to do some things that are kind of odd (laying on one side for 390 days? And the other for 40? Eating food cooked on a fire fueled by human--or cow--dung?). Yet in the middle of things that seem strange to read, there are glimpses of God's familiar hand at work.

When God called Ezekiel, He used some words that I think He'd say to any Christ followers today. Take a look at these two excerpts where God is talking to Ezekiel about the people:

They're a bunch of rebels.

Your job is to speak to them.

Whether they listen is not your concern.

They're hardened rebels...

...They won't listen to you because they won't listen to me.

They are, as I said, a hard case, hardened in their sin.

But I'll make you as hard in your way as they are in theirs.

I'll make your face as hard as rock, harder than granite.

Don't let them intimidate you.

Don't be afraid of them,

even though they're a bunch of rebels."

I think it's interesting that God called Ezekiel to do some things that were a bit strange and to do something that He calls all of us to do--to tell other people about Him.

One thing God didn't call Ezekiel--or us--to do? Save people. We are called to talk with people about God and share His love with them, but they choose whether or not to listen and accept Him. God is the Savior! He's gracious enough not only to give people salvation, but to give them free will. God didn't create robots, but human beings. He wants us to love Him, but He doesn't force us into submission. Love is always a choice.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 5-8

Reordering your life

Today: Lamentations 3:37-5

I've reordered a lot of things--my closet, some sentences and living room furniture. But reordering an entire life? That's pretty radical. And perhaps that's exactly why God wants us to do it.

As we discussed yesterday, Lamentations is actually a sad book of the Bible. God's people are in exile, largely because they disobeyed and deserted Him. However, this part of today's passage stood out to me:

Doesn't the High God speak everything,

good things and hard things alike, into being?

And why would anyone gifted with life

complain when punished for sin?

Let's take a good look at the way we're living

and reorder our lives under God.

Let's lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time,

praying to God in heaven...

Isn't that good?!? Often we complain about things in our lives that are the consequences of our own actions--instead of being grateful and enjoying the gift of life God has given to us.

I also like the verse that talks about reordering our lives under God. One theme that's clear to me in Scripture is that order matters to God--He wants to be first in our lives, not just our words, our songs or our prayers: He wants to be first in EVERYTHING.

I wish that more of us realized the importance of order before we got to a low point of facing harsh consequences. However, the good news is that even in the worst moments of desperation, God is more than willing to help us. All we have to do is accept His grace and submit to His authority, asking for His help to reorder our lives.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 1-4

Get a grip...on hope

Today: Lamentations 1-3:36

Today we're starting the book of Lamentations--a relatively short book that was written at a time when God's people hit bad times. They were taken off into captivity--just as God had prophesied. They rebelled against Him and the captivity was one of the consequences. In this passage, at least one of the writers called it correctly: "God has right on his side. I'm the one who did wrong..."

In the midst of lamenting the sadness of captivity, the God-inspired writer recognizes some amazing truths. Love this:

I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—

the feeling of hitting the bottom.

But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering,

I keep a grip on hope:
God's loyal love couldn't have run out,

his merciful love couldn't have dried up.

They're created new every morning.

How great your faithfulness!

I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).

He's all I've got left.
God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,

to the woman who diligently seeks.

It's a good thing to quietly hope,

quietly hope for help from God.

It's a good thing when you're young

to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take,

go off by yourself.

Enter the silence.

Bow in prayer.

Don't ask questions:

Wait

for hope to appear.

Don't run from trouble.

Take it full-face.

The "worst" is never the worst.
Why?

Because the Master won't

ever

walk out and fail to return.

If he works severely, he also works tenderly.

His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.

Tomorrow: Lamentations 3:37-5

The real thing

Today: Jeremiah 51-52

Tonight I drove home into a painting...well, a God-designed painting of sunlight and mountains and oceans and clouds. It was one of those absolutely stunning days when God's creation was shining in its glory.

It's crazy to me that people think all the Earth's beauty popped up out of an explosion of gases. Today was one of those days when the creative force of our Creator was so obvious to me. Perhaps that's why this section of today's passage stood out:

By his power he made earth.

His wisdom gave shape to the world.

He crafted the cosmos.

He thunders and rain pours down.

He sends the clouds soaring.

He embellishes the storm with lightnings,

launches the wind from his warehouse.

Stick-god worshipers look mighty foolish!

god-makers embarrassed by their handmade gods!

Their gods are frauds, dead sticks—

deadwood gods, tasteless jokes.

They're nothing but stale smoke.

When the smoke clears, they're gone.

But the Portion-of-Jacob is the real thing;

he put the whole universe together...

I love that God is called "the real thing" (long before Coca-Cola!). He's not a created being, shaped by the hands or minds of man. He's the Creator--our master designer.

I also think it's interesting that this excerpt was included in today's passage--a section of the book of Jeremiah that describes the fulfillment of prophesy: the exile of God's people to Babylon. I love that through it all, God's creative design for humanity was at work. He was always there, always dreaming of the day His people would come home.

Tomorrow: Lamentations 1-3:36

There's no place like home

Today: Jeremiah 49-50

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

I've heard Judy Garland say these words a bazillion times in "The Wizard of Oz." At one point, it was my youngest sister's favorite movie. It was the point in her childhood when she wanted to read, watch and listen to her favorite books, movies and music over and over and over again. We used to immerse ourselves in the world of "The Wizard of Oz"--pretending to ride bikes along with the evil Miss Gulch and sing along with the Lollipop Guild. And we desperately wanted to float in a cotton-candy colored sparkly bubble like Glinda.

When you're a kid watching "The Wizard of Oz" for the first time or the 100th time, you don't fully grasp the significance of, "There's no place like home." When you're older, your definitions of "home" may change. Is home just a place? People you love? A feeling? A combination of all of those things?

In today's passage, God talked about home for His people. At this point in Scripture, His people rejected Him. As a consequence for their sin, they were taken into captivity--they were literally taken from home. However, in this excerpt, God prophesies the turnaround of Israel and Judah. I think His depiction of home describes more than land. Take a look:

In those days, at that time"—God's Decree—

"the people of Israel will come, And the people of Judah with them.

Walking and weeping, they'll seek me, their God.

They'll ask directions to Zion and set their faces toward Zion.

They'll come and hold tight to God,

bound in a covenant eternal they'll never forget.
"My people were lost sheep.

Their shepherds led them astray.

They abandoned them in the mountains where they wandered

aimless

through the hills.

They lost track of home,

couldn't remember where they came from.

Everyone who met them took advantage of them.

Their enemies had no qualms:'Fair game,' they said. 'They walked out on God.

They abandoned the True Pasture, the hope of their parents.'

Wow. God's people were in bad shape. They didn't just lose land, cows and houses--they lost who they were. They lost purpose and a sense of their spiritual legacy. They didn't just need Google maps to find home--they needed God's direction and hope.

I love that later in this passage, God foresees something good:

But Israel I'll bring home

to good pastures.

He'll graze on the hills of Carmel and Bashan,

On the slopes of Ephraim and Gilead.

He will eat to his heart's content.

In those days and at that time"—God's Decree—

"they'll look high and low for a sign of Israel's guilt—nothing;

Search nook and cranny for a trace of Judah's sin—nothing.

These people that I've saved will start out with a clean slate.

Isn't that amazing? God didn't just envision His peoples' return to their cities--He saw a restoration of their hearts. And if home is where the heart is, finding a clean heart and the love of God's heart? There's no place like home.

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 51-52

Look up!

Today: Jeremiah 46-48

Yesterday's post and much of the content of today's passage may have felt a little bit...depressing. But I assure you that there are definitely some bright spots.

In much of today's reading, God was dishing out prophesies of destruction on the nations that chased idols and sin instead of Him. Much of the passage felt like a message of, "Look out!" But this excerpt addressed to His people was different:

But you, dear Jacob my servant,

you have nothing to fear.

Israel, there's no need to worry.

Look up!

I'll save you from that far country,

I'll get your children out of the land of exile.

Things are going to be normal again for Jacob,

safe and secure, smooth sailing.

Yes, dear Jacob my servant,

you have nothing to fear.

Depend on it, I'm on your side.

I'll finish off all the godless nations among which I've scattered you,

But I won't finish you off.

I have more work left to do on you.

I'll punish you, but fairly.

No, I'm not finished with you yet."

I love that God's instruction to His people is not to, "Look out!" or live in fear--it's to, "Look up!" and trust Him no matter what.

In The Message version, this excerpt talks about "smooth sailing" for God's people, but I don't think it's the smooth sailing we humans would typically envision. God mentions work that He has left to do on His people and He also mentions punishment (a word that would be absent from most of our definitions of "smooth sailing"). I think the smooth sailing He's referring to is the fact that He's always there--ultimately guiding the ships of His people (to carry out the analogy a bit). God's people don't need to live in fear because He's always with us. If you feel afraid, discouraged or disappointed, I encourage you to follow His advice--"Look up!"

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 49-50

What we want, what God says

Today: Jeremiah 42-45

"Sometimes what we want isn't what we get.
Sometimes what we get ain't really what we want..."

A few months ago I was singing along with the lyrics to this song in my car (Dave Barnes' "What We Want, What We Get"). Little did I know that I was on the verge of getting some news...some really disappointing news...the same week. Something that I REALLY wanted, REALLY prayed for and REALLY thought was going to happen--didn't. To be honest, it made made me sad-mad-disappointed-scared all at once. I was back to square one.

I cried. My parents brought me dinner (LOVE them!). And I prayed again, "Why, God? Why? I'm one of your kids--and I really wanted XYZ to happen. Did I do something wrong?"

And God was silent.

Honestly, I felt hurt--like the God I trusted let me down.

In those moments, well-intentioned people say things like, "Things happen for a reason" or "God must have something else that's just right for you." I believe those sentiments, but I don't exactly want to hear them in the middle of my sad-mad-disappointed-scared stage.

God was telling me to be patient and to trust Him--to keep aiming for what I want, but to not bulldoze through on my own and make a quick decision without His blessing. I'm still trying to work on that lesson. :)

In today's passage, I thought it was interesting that God's people faced a similar challenge. God gave them some instruction via the prophet Jeremiah. But it wasn't the message they wanted to hear. Instead of listening, they did the exact opposite--and God wasn't happy.

It's important for us to remember that what we want and what God wants aren't always the same things--and what God says and what we want to hear aren't always identical, either. Does God love us still? Absolutely. But here's one thing that makes me feel better in my sad-mad-disappointed-scared stage: God knows and sees a lot more than I do. Perhaps things don't always work out the way I want them to because 1) I'm not God and 2) God has extra information and wisdom--His delay or denial of my requests could be for my protection or growth. And perhaps the idea that "there's something else that's just right" will actually become reality at some point. In the meantime, I'm trying to trust what God already said.

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 46-48