POWER OF THE SPOKEN WORD

There was life-and-death accountability for the prophet Ezekiel regarding the words he spoke - and a heavy penalty for the words he failed to speak. God says:

If I [God] say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you [the prophet Ezekiel] give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Ezekiel 3:18

God goes on to reiterate the prophet's responsibility in the verses that follow. I can't help but ask, if God already spoke to the wicked, saying that they should surely die, why would it make any difference for the prophet to repeat that message? If the "wicked" didn't listen to God Himself, why would they hear the prophet any better? And why should Ezekiel be responsible for the destruction of the "wicked" if for one reason or another the prophet kept silent?

The theme is repeated in chapter 33, where God uses the analogy of a watchman in a guard tower. The watchman is responsible to blow a trumpet in warning if he sees danger approaching:

. . . if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand. from Ezekiel 33:6

In our society, polite folks leave others to their own choices when it comes to right and wrong, and we call it friendship. How does the truth of the Bible sit with you in that regard? Are we responsible, as Ezekiel was, to speak a warning when we see a friend go astray? Are you and I under the same penalty as Ezekiel if for one reason or another we keep silent?

For me the idea that I'm responsible to "call 'em as I see 'em" is hard to swallow! It is far more pleasant, when I'm out to coffee with a friend or just having a casual conversation on the phone, to simply say what the other person wants to hear, offering "positive affirmation" of the friend's choices or moral position. Though I may abstain from condoning, I certainly don't want to make waves by raising questions or objections. I choose instead to hold my tongue. After all, I don't want to be rude, do I?

God surely doesn't call me to speak doom and gloom to friends and loved ones, does He? You are surely not called to predict fire and brimstone, are you? After all, God's ultimate intentions are clear:

. . . "As I live," declares the Lord God, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back . . ." from Ezek. 33:11

And yet, even God's good intentions have to be verbally expressed if they are to be known. So, where do we fit in? Does it fall in the lap of those who see truth to speak it out? In this day and age, how are we to balance the extreme example of Ezekiel's truth-speaking responsibility with the apparent moderation of the commandment to "judge not lest you be judged?" Only God's own Spirit in you can give you grace to balance truth with love and acceptance, but at the very least, the message of the book of Ezekiel brings to light the awesome power of the spoken word.

Look at the power of Ezekiel's voice in chapter 27, where he's ordered to speak to a jumble of dry, human bones. Granted, this passage describes a prophetic vision, as opposed to physical reality, but what a powerful picture it paints for for us today. There is a good reason the bones came clacking together in response to the prophet's verbal command, and there is good reason the restored bodies didn't receive the breath of life until the prophet was urged to speak again.

The message is this: there is power in our spoken words -- a power and responsibility that cannot be ignored or denied. One of my favorite snippets from Scripture describes God as the One " . . .who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist." This is the God we serve, the One who created us in his own image and gives us His authority - and more than authority, the life-or-death obligation - to speak truth and life in Jesus' name.

In many ways I could feel sympathy for Ezekiel, who must have looked like a raving lunatic in his time! He certainly did not live in comfort, convenience, and complacency as many Christians (even prophets and preachers) do today. In between his prophetic utterances, the poor guy was struck entirely mute! Still, at times of missed opportunity, I could almost wish life were as cut and dried for me as it was for Ezekiel.

I'll stop short of wishing to be struck mute, but I do pray that God will make me uncomfortably aware that speaking truth (and crossing boundaries of politeness or political correctness) is not merely an option for me, but an obligation. I hope you'll make it your prayer, too, that the Lord will stop our mouths from affirming and encouraging friends who are in the wrong. May He bring truth from our lips, and may He bring life to dead hearts! I pray God will make us accutely aware of the power of our spoken words today.

THE ONE IN CHARGE

God is in control -- of course we know that, but it is nice to be reminded today. Jesus "upholds the universe by the word of his power," and He will not let us out of his sight now or ever. The Bible says it is a done deal: the Lord Jesus took the highest seat of power long ago when "he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

It is possible to keep politics in perspective when I remember:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. - Hebrews 1:1-4

Another good lesson from today's reading is that God cares about individuals. There was one foreign advisor who tried to talk sense into the king of Judah in a time of crisis, counseling Zedekiah to save the prophet Jeremiah, whom he had doomed to death. This lonely foreigner, Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, was remembered when the dust settled. He had a message waiting for him from God:

I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall - from Jeremiah 39:17-18

God cares about individuals, and helps each one who trusts in Him. This one person did the little bit he coul, and as a result was remembered and looked after by the Lord of the universe. Even earlier in history, there's another example of God looking out for his people. When the nation of Israel was to be delivered from captivity in Egypt, God used a pagan ruler -- not by causing him to yield, but by his stubborn resistance -- to show God's awesome power.

After seeing all the signs and wonders God performed by the hand of Moses, what kind of a lunatic would NOT have let God's people go? Yet time and again, Pharaoh reneged. The Bible says God hardened that leader's heart -- to the ultimate advantage of God's people. Let's remember today and in the days to come, that God is the one in charge. Whether through our elected officials or in spite of them, God will do according to His good purpose for us.

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know

Jesus loves ME, this I know . . . and every day I see it anew as my own personal miracle.

Jesus loves you and me. To think that the Creator of the universe, all-knowing and all-powerful, eternal and enormous, would "so love the world" is not a big hurdle for me. But to think that such a God would notice me -- let alone look with compassion on me as an individual, and would care to answer my prayers -- it astounds me every time I think of it. It's true! God speaks to individuals when He says:

". . . the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,"

says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

- Isaiah 54:10, ESV

Wasn't God speaking to the Hebrew people through the prophet Isaiah? God reassures me as an individual in the vast and varied sea of humanity, just as He reassures you. It's as if he points right at you in the crowd of faces and says, "yes! I mean YOU!" God goes on to say through the prophet:

. . . and "my house shall be called a house of prayer

for all peoples." The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts . . .

declares, "I will gather yet others . . . " - from Isaiah 56:7

It is your own personal shout-out when God says:

For thus says the One

who is high and lifted up,

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

"I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him

who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite"

- Isaiah 57:15

I want to be more and more that person God singles out, an individual with a contrite and lowly heart. Though He is enormous and inhabits all eternity, he dwells indeed with the lowly, and it is a blessing to be convinced of the reality of his presence and power on a daily basis. I pray that you will be intensely aware today of the simple truth, "Jesus loves me, this I know!"

THE SEEING BLIND

What am I looking for today, and where is my focus? Over the past week, I've been thinking about the mystery of how God sometimes opens my eyes to hidden things, yet at other times I fail to see what is right in front of my face! There are days when I don't do what is right, and afterward wonder how I could have been so blind. The Bible describes two distinct types of individuals in the book of Isaiah. To one type of person God says:

I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,

and I do not forsake them.

- Isaiah 42:16, ESV

The other type of person (see Isaiah 44:9-20) is described this way:

They know not, nor do they discern,

for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,

and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment

to say . . . "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

from Isaiah 44:18-19, ESV

Of those two types, which person are you? Isaiah makes it obvious that the clarity of your thinking and spiritual vision depends not on the quality of your eyesight, but on the subject of your focus. What are you looking at today? Are you looking to things created (idols) or to the Creator? The apostle Paul reminds us that to keep our lives in focus, we need only to stay clear on this one thing:

. . . the mystery hidden for ages and generations

but now revealed . . . this mystery,

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory.

- from Colossians 1:26-27

I pray that the Lord will give you and me the power of perspective today. Let's consciously place ourselves into the first category of individuals, the ones who are led "in paths that they have not known," and for whom God will "turn the darkness before them into light." Let's actively acknowledge that in many ways we're blind and helpless, for only after acknowledging our need can we be led by God's powerful hand.

Let's ask ourselves, "Am I free to be led by God's hand today, or is there a 'lie in my right hand' that would prevent me from latching onto God's firm grip?" If we want our darkness to be turned into light, then we must carefully examine our thinking on a regular basis, and mentally let go of any false assumption or misplaced priorities I find there.

In Christ we can pray with confidence and authority: "Lord, I see that I am blind. Show me what I hold in my hand - what I hold dear - that would separate me from the leading of your Spirit today. Make me willing and able to let go of my 'idols' and take hold of your hand, that you may turn my darkness into light before me, and guide me on level ground." AMEN!

BROKEN, TAKEN, AND SNARED

There's an often quoted verse in today's reading which reflects the value of consistently applying the principles of God's word so we can grow in knowledge, maturity, and integrity:

". . . it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,

line upon line, line upon line,

here a little, there a little."

- Isaiah 28:10, ESV

How seldom I see such a passage in the light of context, yet how starkly revealing! In the surrounding verses (5-13), there is a warning. As a professed Christ follower, I can either put the teachings of the Bible before me or behind me. If I choose to put God's teachings behind me, I will fall backward over them and break myself in pieces:

. . . they would not hear. And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. (from Isaiah 28:12-13, ESV)

Let us not bring the fate upon ourselves of being "snared and taken" because we would not heed God's Word. I hope you will join me as I pray, "Lord, let me place your precepts before me, to guide me and keep me from harm. Let me daily hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against You! Let me be responsible to apply your principles to my decision making, and careful follow your instructions today." AMEN.

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD - FEAR AND DELIGHT

The prophet Isaiah described the Spirit of the Lord:

. . . the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and

the fear of the Lord.

- Isaiah 11:2

The Lord Jesus gave his followers -- you and me -- the same Spirit (see I Cor. 2:12). That means you and I have all the traits described above, whether we know it or not! The Spirit the Lord gives us is like a big treasure chest, and it will help us dig those traits out of us if we visualize what we are looking for:

Please join me as I pray, "Lord, YOUR Spirit in me -- that is what I crave! Wisdom and understanding to focus on the core issues at every moment of decision; the ability to give and receive good advice (counsel), boldness to speak and act as your Spirit indicates (might), and the presence of mind to respect You above all else (the fear of the Lord)."

Fear and delight are not often used in the same sentence without creating a real contradiction in terms, but truly I pray that it will be our delight and highest pleasure to respect, honor and fear the Lord today, just as the prophet Isaiah spoke of the Lord Jesus, who has put his own Spirit within us:

. . . and his delight

shall be in the fear of the Lord.

- Isaiah 11:3

PROVERBS 31 WOMAN

The "Proverbs 31 Woman" comes with a long list of qualities and qualifications, of which I'm keenly aware I fall far short! Yet in today's reading, one thing stands out from that long list, and it is something all of us women can give without hesitation or second thoughts:

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness

is on her tongue.

- Proverbs 31:26

I have something to give which costs me nothing. I can give a little thought before I open my mouth, and make a point to show kindness in the things I say. It costs nothing to be generous in attitude and speech. Though I may feel unprepared to face many of the challenges before me, I can rely on God's grace to let my attitude and the words that come out of my mouth be excellent.

Today's reading from the New Testament sheds even more light on my prayer life. Like the Macedonians, who were not wealthy by material standards, I can ask the Lord for this seemingly incongruous mix:

. . . abundance of joy

and their extreme poverty

have overflowed in a wealth of generosity . . .

- 2 Cor. 8:2

I can boldly ask that the Lord allow me, even in my need, to "excel in acts of grace," (see 2 Cor 8:7). After all, "if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he [or she] does not have," (2 Cor. 8:12). I'm not asked to give beyond my ability; I'm only responsible for what I have at my disposal.

My prayer - and I hope you will join me - is simply this: when (and not if) I have a chance to display a good attitude, to give a word of encouragement, to pardon an offense, or to in any small way let Jesus' love shine through me, that I'll be ready to act quickly and decisively to capture that golden opportunity! Let His grace be great in me today.

I know the Lord will honor such a request. Amen? AMEN!