Warning...this could be lengthy.
First off, I LOVE the Old Testament. It is so rich and so full. Last week we were eating ice cream at a local spot with our married kids and some discussion came up about Ezekiel. We are a ministry family so work with me. Many of our conversations go this direction even over ice cream ☺️ Anyway, it whet my appetite for some reason and this week I jumped into this book once again.
Today was chapter 2 and I began to focus on things I had never paid attention to before. Isn't God awesome like that?! We can study the same book over and over and He keeps giving us something new!! Chapter 2 gives us Ezekiel's call, his mission. This was a very detailed, very personal call to Ezekiel. It wasn't meant for anyone else. God called HIM to this task, to go to the Israelites.
One thing that floors me is how blessed we are that God chooses imperfect people like ourselves to work his plan here on earth. We are made from dust. And dust is dust. I'm no better dust than you and you're no better dust than me. We can't even rise to our own feet (vs 2) without His help. And yet He calls us and uses us in spite of ourselves.
Another thing is God enabled Ezekiel because He saw an open and obedient attitude. He filled him with His Spirit and gave him the power to do what he called him to do. Many of us don't experience the power because our attitude is wrong. I know when mine is wrong I feel totally powerless to do anything. The power is linked to our obedience. Success wasn't going to be whether the people of Israel listened. Success was doing what God said to do.
Now here's the biggest lesson from this for me today. God chooses to use us and churches DIFFERENTLY!! He is the one who gives direction to people and churches and if it's not directed to us then we don't need to concern ourselves with it. This was Ezekiel's call. Not Daniel's call. Not David's call. It was His call to Ezekiel. His call on us is specific. It's not about us. It's all about Him. Just because we are involved in the plan doesn't mean that the plan revolves around us. When we cut on others and other churches, I believe God takes that very seriously and very personally. We put ourselves in a dangerous place where the power and the blessing is cut off. We don't know what God has called other people and churches to do. We need to be more concerned with what He has called us to do. I can't worry about what the pastor's wife down the street is doing. I have to do what He has told me to do. And ministers don't need to worry about what the church down the road is doing. Let God take care of that. I love how so many women in ministry publicly cheer on and encourage others and their ministry. It makes me feel good about them and respect them. Why do we think it makes us look better when we tear others down? It makes us look jealous and insecure. We feel threatened when we should rejoice at what God is doing. The saying around here, at home and church, is it's 1 kingdom, His kingdom!! Our family and our church says all the time, we are on the same team...trying to win the world for Jesus! There's no need to stress about what God is doing "over there" and what they're doing "over there" and focus on what He wants us to do "over here".
There's way too much competition in ministry and not enough team work. Ministers can be the worst at worrying about what others are doing or not doing or should be doing or shouldn't be doing. Many preach about all they're doing themselves instead of what God is doing. Maybe if some of us would remove ourselves from the throne and give God His rightful place, we would see Him move in His power like never before and we might even get to be a part of it.
Challenging myself to keep my focus off other people, off other churches and ministries and focus on Christ and what He's called me to do. I want desperately to experience His power. I want what He wants for me. That after all is so much better than wanting what He wants for others.
And He tells us daily, like He told Ezekiel, do not be afraid. Do not fear what others say or be terrified by them. We are to speak what He tells us to speak. He has sent us all out into a world of rebellious and obstinate people. The success is in doing what He's told us to do. God's strength is powerful enough to live for Him under the heaviest criticism. Being difference makers is so worth it!!! Being kingdom minded is where the joy is.
We continued this amazing series yesterday with God's Gameplan for marriage. We looked at reasons so many fail, God's view, and God's plan. I love how honestly my husband shared. None of us have it all together. I've known people just as you have who want to portray their marriage and their children as being the perfect model. It always amazes me when those with very young children do this. I find myself thinking they have no idea how rough the waters can get as those little ones grow. Besides that, it's not true because none of us are perfect. And it doesn't help those struggling to feel like they're struggling alone. To have the kind of homes God wants for us takes work, sacrifice, lots of grace and tons of love!!
