September 14 -- "No One to Stand in the Gap"

 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 22

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Picture this: A walled city under siege. The enemy is at the gates, pounding relentlessly, arrows flying, and fear gripping the hearts of its people. But there's a hidden danger, a silent threat far more menacing than the enemy's weapons. A massive gaping hole in the city wall, a wide-open invitation for destruction. If the enemy manages to slip through that hole the whole city is doomed.

To save the city from destruction a brave soul is needed – someone with the courage to stand in that gap, to plug the hole and save the city. This wasn’t simply about physically blocking a gap but acting as a spiritual protector.

The "gap-stander" in this passage represents a need for a righteous individual to intercede on behalf of the people of Israel and advocate for their salvation and mercy from impending judgment. In a nation riddled with corruption and sin, God sought a champion of justice and righteousness. Such a person would be deeply committed to averting disaster through prayer and righteous living.

Tragically, no one answered this call. The Lord here expresses deep disappointment and frustration with the people of Israel because no fearless leader nor wise prophet was willing to risk their life for the people. 

Today, this passage speaks to us about the critical role of being a “gap-stander” in our own families, neighborhoods, communities, and nation. As followers of Christ, we are called to stand in the gap through prayer, advocacy, and living out God’s values in a world that often needs guidance and grace.

Our lives should reflect a commitment to protecting others from spiritual darkness while promoting the truth of the Light of the World. That's where you come in. You can be that spiritual warrior! You can stand in the gap. When you pray, share your faith, and humbly serve others you're helping to repair that broken wall. You're standing strong against the forces of evil. 

September 13 -- "Divine Disruptions"

 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 21

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You’ve likely heard the saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." In today’s verse, the Lord challenges this idea. God through Ezekiel, predicts that the day is coming when "things shall not remain as they are.”

Change is inevitable, but it's not always gradual. God, through Ezekiel, promises that there will come a day when He will mess with our existing norms. God’s disruption isn't arbitrary; it's an expression of His sovereign will and His desire to shake up our mundane routines. Divine disruptions can serve as a catalyst for deeper intimacy with God, as they force us to rely on Him in new and challenging ways.

Trials and disruptions can also be used by God to develop perseverance, humility, patience, and other vital qualities that strengthen our faith. They can help Christ-followers see that God is ultimately in control, even when life doesn't go according to plan. Disruptions are also a necessary step in fulfilling the plans and purposes God has for us, as they force us to reevaluate our current path and align ourselves with His will.

While disruption can be unsettling, it ultimately points toward a divine order that transcends our finite perspectives. God's disruptions are pathways to transformation, leading us from familiarity into the extraordinary. In this way, His plans for our lives unfold in ways we could never have imagined.

God's intervention and disruption of our lives is an act of love that leads us to true purposeful existence, transforming us from within and guiding us toward a richer, more fulfilling life than we could ever achieve on our own.

May the Lord, who disrupts the status quo and ushers in His divine order, guide you on a transformative journey of purposeful living. May you embrace change as an opportunity for growth, and may your heart be open to the unexpected ways He leads you.

September 12 -- "The Promise of Restoration"

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 20:27-49

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Judgment is an inevitable part of life. When we disobey or stray from God's will, we often experience the consequences of our actions. In the book of Ezekiel, this theme of judgment is prevalent throughout many chapters. However, amidst these warnings and prophecies, there is also a message of hope – a promise of restoration.

Redemption refers to the process by which God forgives us and restores us to a right relationship with Himself. This is possible because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, which provides forgiveness for our sins and redeems us from the consequences of judgment.

Ezekiel 20:40 specifically states that there will come a time when God's people will serve Him once again in their homeland of Israel. This verse offers hope not only to Israel but also to believers throughout history. It speaks to the idea that no matter how far we may have strayed, God is always willing to restore us and bring us back into a right relationship with Himself.

The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 serves as a powerful illustration of this concept. In this story, a father welcomes home his wayward son despite the son's poor choices and resulting consequences. This parable highlights God's unwavering love for us and His desire to restore us even after we have strayed.

Moving forward, today’s verse also points toward our ultimate future redemption in the final days. The Bible describes a coming future era where God's people will serve Him unhindered and in fullness. This idea is beautifully captured in Revelation 21, which reveals God's promise to dwell among His people, wiping away every tear and eradicating pain and suffering.

It has been said, “No matter how far you walk away from God, the return trip is only one step." This popular quote encapsulates the message of hope, forgiveness, and redemption found in the heart of your Heavenly Father. No matter how far you may have strayed from your faith or drifted away from God, the path back to Him is always within reach.

May the grace of redemption guide you back to God's loving embrace, and may you find the glorious hope found in the promise of restoration through Jesus Christ's sacrifice.

September 11 -- "His Name Means Everything"

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 20:1-26 

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Do you have a good name? Do you consider your good name and reputation to be important to you? Well, multiply that by infinity and you'll get a glimpse of how much God cares about His good Name! His incredible holiness and desire for a loving relationship with us drive Him to protect His reputation. 

By the way, the reason we capitalize “Name” when referring to God is to show respect and reverence for Him and to differentiate between the general use of "name" and the specific reference to God's sacred Name. In fact, many Jews, when they come across God's name while reading the Old Testament aloud, will pause and substitute it with the words "The Name" out of deep respect and reverence for the holiness and sacredness of God' Name.

So, let’s talk about the Israelites for a minute. Despite experiencing God’s amazing power firsthand, they rebelled against Him and did not honor His Name nor reflect His love and power to the world around them. Imagine the disrespect! God had to step in, not just to discipline them, but also to safeguard His incredible character from being misunderstood by the world.

Why was this so important? Because God is holy and perfect, and His Name (LORD, Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai) represents who He is. When His chosen people messed up, it put a stain on His beautiful reputation. Plus, God had made a special promise between Himself and the Israelites. Their disobedience was like them breaking a promise with their Heavenly Father - it hurt!

But here’s the amazing thing: God wanted the Israelites to show the world who He is – a loving, gracious, powerful God. Their failure to do this meant He had to step in and remind everyone of His greatness. It was all about protecting His good Name so that people everywhere would know Him as the true and living God. This all comes from a place of love. God doesn’t want anyone to miss out on His incredible love and care. He wants everyone on Earth to turn away from their wrongdoings and experience His amazing grace.  Just like it says in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  This tells us that He longs for salvation to come to each and every human being. And, that's why He is so careful to protect His name and reputation.

May the sacredness of God's Name dwell deeply within you. As a bearer of His light, may your life shine forth His holiness and truth to a hurting world.

September 10 -- "The Price of Unrighteous Rule"

 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 19

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A nation's strength and prosperity depend on the integrity of its core values and the moral character of its people, which must be rooted in righteousness. In Ezekiel 19, we find Ezekiel’s expression of sorrow and mourning (lamentation) over the state of his nation which has strayed far from the moral character of its foundations in God.

This chapter is a powerful reminder that when society strays from God, it risks destructive consequences. The phrases "no strong stem" and "no scepter for ruling" in verse 14 refer to the destruction and loss of leadership within Judah, God's chosen nation. These phrases paint a vivid picture of a once-thriving tree now barren, lacking the essential components needed for growth and stability. Ezekiel’s use of these phrases indicates that the ability for a strong ruler to arise from within the nation has been removed. This suggests a lack of leadership, stability, and guidance for the nation due to its moral decay.

The metaphor of fire consuming a nation's fruit illustrates how detachment from moral foundations leads to gradual decline. This truth is timeless and essential for us to understand: our individual choices have the power to ripple outward and impact communities and entire nations.

To maintain our personal roots in righteousness, we must diligently draw nourishment from God’s Word. As we do, our spiritual compass stays true, guiding our decisions and actions. In this way, we lay a firm foundation for personal and societal flourishing.

As followers of Christ, it's crucial that we stand as pillars of moral strength, radiating God's light in a world prone to moral decay. Our commitment to righteousness sends a ripple effect throughout the culture, influencing others for good.

May our lives exemplify the transformative power of righteousness, shining brightly even in difficult times. And may the Lord grant us wisdom to heed His words and guidance, that we may flourish under strong leadership and maintain stability in our nation.

September 9 -- "Divine Forgetfulness"

 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 18

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Can God forget?  The Bible says there is one thing He can, and will, forget - your sin! God's divine forgetfulness is a powerful expression of His grace, offering forgiveness and a fresh start to those who turn from their sinful ways.

In today's post, we explore the profound grace found in Ezekiel 18:22, where God declares that when a sinner repents, all past transgressions are forgiven and – believe it or not – totally forgotten. This divine forgetfulness doesn't imply a limitation in God's memory or omniscience; rather, it speaks to the richness of His grace and the complete removal of sin from the relationship between God and the repentant individual.

As humans, we often remember past wrongs and let them impact our present interactions. However, God, in His infinite mercy, chooses not to hold onto our sins or allow our past mistakes to define our current standing with Him. Hebrews 8:12 echoes this truth: "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." This divine forgetfulness is a deliberate choice by God to treat the repentant as if their transgressions never occurred, offering a fresh start and wiping the slate clean.

As Christ followers, this reminds us that no matter how many times we fail or stumble, God's mercy is always available to restore us. When we sin, we don't have to dwell on the past or let guilt and shame define our present; instead, we can turn to God, seek His forgiveness, and receive His amazing forgetfulness.

Oh, how we need to grasp the magnitude of this truth – that when someone repents and comes to Jesus Christ by faith, all of their past and present sins are truly erased. The freedom that comes with being "remembered no more" inspires gratitude, confidence, and a deep sense of reconciliation with God.

May the reality of God's forgetfulness permeate your life, motivating you to turn from your sinful ways and experience the transformative power of His grace.

September 8 -- "From Twig to Cedar"

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 17 

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Isn't it amazing how God can take something small and fragile, like a tiny twig, and turn it into something strong and beautiful, like a cedar tree? That's exactly what He does with us! As a skilled gardener, God carefully plants us in the perfect environment to cause us to grow from tiny newborn “twigs” in our walk with Him into mature and strong “cedars” - pillars of the faith. Even when life feels like a wild storm, God is in control, shaping us into His masterpiece.

In Ezekiel 17, we find a profound allegory where an eagle takes a young twig from a cedar tree and plants it in a fertile field where it grows into a mighty cedar. This symbolizes the Lord’s nurturing care for His people, even when circumstances seem dire or chaotic.

Just as the Lord directed the eagle to plant the seed in good soil, He orchestrates our lives for a divine purpose. Our challenges and trials may seem overwhelming, but God is at work, ensuring that every circumstance contributes to the growth of our faith.

Now, let’s talk about pride. It’s like a weed that can choke out our spiritual growth. But God loves to lift up the humble heart. In verse 24, God's sovereignty is vividly portrayed through two types of trees: the high tree and the low tree. The high tree represents the proud and powerful, those who exalt themselves and trust in their own strength. Conversely, the low tree depicts the humble and meek, those planted by God and who rely on Him rather than their own achievements. God declares that He will bring down the high tree (the proud and arrogant) and lift up the low tree (the humble and meek).

The lesson is clear: grow where God plants you – in humility and total dependence upon Him. Our true strength lies not in self-exaltation, but in humble dependence on our Heavenly Father. Let us be like the twig planted by God, ever growing into His divine “cedar.” 

As a vine planted by the river that sends its roots deep into the water, may the Lord plant you near the sustaining water of His Word and Holy Spirit.  May you grow where He plants you and humbly bear fruit, not for your own glory, but to the praise of the One who nourishes and sustains us.