Day 59
Ezekiel 1-12
One of the companion books that I've been reading that help Bible beginners like me more fully understand what each book is about, has this to say about Ezekiel:
"Misery is going to get company."
Death and destruction continues, and in these chapters it seems your worse nightmares are being vividly described. But alas, even in all the death and destruction, there lies the faintest glimmers of hope...
I'm sure a few more rounds of this journey through the Bible will have me getting more Biblical application, but for now I can only relate to how verses like Ezekiel 11:12 apply to my life: "And you will know that I am the Lord, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you."
I read that verse a couple of times and really had to evaluate my life and whether I am doing the same thing...
".....but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you."
The people have conformed to everyone elses standards but God's, and are now paying the price for that. I find myself thinking how stupid can they be - but then I also find myself asking the question, "Have I conformed to the influences around me?" Have I conformed to the worldly influences of things, attitudes, values, beliefs? Are there areas where I have conformed to excuses and justifications?
I think I've been doing good in some of those areas, --- we don't buy things just to have as things to decorate or adorn a wall with. I have held true to what should be valued, and what shouldn't be. I can thank my son Brandon who has autism, for that life lesson. But on other things, I feel I do need a major readjustment. Sometimes I let my attitude be shaped by others, or worse, I have a different attitude with different people. If I don't share some jokes with some people, but do share them with others, -- then gulp -- have I indeed conformed to a lower standard than I want for myself? Can right and wrong depend on who you are with at the moment? Can I sometimes make an excuse to not worship with the many because I've felt betrayed by a few? Can I truly consider myself transparent and honest in my Christianity if I know I do those things? Owie. Owie. Owie. I liked it better reading these passages when it was God bringing judgement on them. Not me.
I have to really think about that scripture as it applies to my advocacy as well. My Christianity is who I am, and my autism advocacy is who I am. I need to make sure one is not causing the other to conform, in particular, my advocacy not weakening my Christianity.
In all I do, I need to make sure God's scripture of Romans 12:2 overrides the world's scripture of Ezekiel 11:12!
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
As in all things, there is HOPEISM.
Even where I feel I have strayed in areas, I can be thankful that my God is a God of redemption. He loves to gather his people and bring them back, as in Ezekiel 11:17 which says, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again. 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. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God."
Thank you Lord that when my Christianity gets scattered at times, you gather me up and bring me back to you...
How fitting that I am writing this on a Saturday, and National "Back to Church Day" is tomorrow, Sunday.
If you have felt scattered --- allow God to gather you up in his house of worship tomorrow and put a new spirit in you!
HOOYAH
&
HALLELUJAH
