PrayerBits
A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church
Wednesday
Scripture lesson: Ezekiel 11:14-20 God will get there eventually
Time to reflect: There was a huge crisis for the Judaeans while they were in exile in Babylon. Some abandoned their religion entirely. Some just didn't think about it and accommodated to their situation, becoming satisfied. Others were angry with God. Others made excuses for God. Others felt they had gotten their just desserts – what the prophets said would happen happened and that was the end of it. But new prophets arose that said that this wasn't the end. That God would restore them to their land and they will get another chance to have the relationship with God that they had neglected in the past. And it happened shortly after Ezekiel made these promises.
Moving through the day: Where are you in the cycle of turning away from God, realizing the consequences of being away from God, repentance, accepting God's presence again, faithfully serving God?
The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, your brothers—your brothers who are your blood relatives and the whole house of Israel—are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, 'They are far away from the LORD; this land was given to us as our possession.'
Promised Return of Israel
"Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.'
"Therefore say: '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.'
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment