Ezekiel 16:3-5
New King James Version
‘Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: “Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born.
For Meditation
Forget my forwardness today, but that is how I sense the Spirit of God asking me to write this message.
You sit in church today, looking good and all joyful. Glory to God! But how did you get here, in the multitude of the saints on earth? How soon and fast you forget and fall back into your sinful ways. You have embraced the world’s ways of living and yielded to its philosophies to the shame of your glory—the glory of His salvation and righteous garment on you.
It’s good you came and have heard the sermon for today; if only you heard it and have given yourself to it. The reason is that God has an indictment for you and me from the message He delivered to rebuke His Old Testament covenant children of Israel and Judah. The Lord wants us to know His disappointment with us and how heartbroken He is about our way of life—the adulterous and shameful living that loathes even the unbelieving world.
Ezekiel chapter 16 captures the Lord’s indictment of Israel and Judah with a simple message for the two sister nations to remember:
· The beginning of His people and from where He took them.
· How deeply He cleansed them.
· The manner of His beautiful adornment on them.
· But how quickly they have shamelessly prostituted themselves in every way possible.
· Finally, God called them to hear how he would deal with them as they deserved.
When you have finished reading Ezekiel’s message and before you think how bad they were, go on to Ephesians 2:1-10. Hear what the Holy Spirit tells you and consider your ways humbly.
See your past situation before Christ took hold of you in that heart-wrenching indictment and your disappointing ways like the Israelites, and repent. Remember where He took you from and cry out for mercy. Plead for the Holy Spirit’s power to revive you in His acceptable ways and accept to forsake your friendship with the world and your God-forsaken ways.
May the Lord help you and me if we do not see ourselves in this indictment and repent. Let it prepare us for a five-day mediation on Ephesians 2:1-10 beginning tomorrow, as we look to the Holy Spirit to help us repent, appreciate Him and His redeeming grace better, and determine to live for the glory of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen!
Shalom
Pray with Me
Father, we are guilty on every count of your indictment. We are ashamed and repent from the depth of our hearts. Please forgive us according to your faithful word in 1 John 1:8. Renew us in your love and restore the joy of our salvation in Christ. Amen.
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Through the Eyes of the Spirit 