stubborn for God

My Bible plan had me begin the book of Ezekiel today. I am particularly fond of Ezekiel, and I am eager to dig deeper into it as I read. It has a lot of things I do not understand along with a numbers of passages I come back to frequently for one reason or another. And today, I think Ezekiel 3 will be added to my repertoire.

Ezekiel was another prophet called to declare God's Word to the people of Israel. The playing out of his calling is something worth reading as God provides a vision of crazy-looking winged creatures, a wheel with eyes, a glimpse of the glory of God on His throne, and a scroll to eat. It's unlike most of the other callings received by the other prophets.

In Ezekiel 3 Ezekiel learns that God is sending him to his brothers in Israel. He will be going to a stubborn, stiff-necked people who probably will not listen to what he says. But God will not leave Ezekiel unprepared or by himself.

But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” ~Ezekiel 3:7-10

I find this particular an immense comfort. God provides Ezekiel with exactly what he will need to be God's servant to His people. On top of that, God warns Ezekiel of the frustrations and difficulties facing him. But I particularly enjoy how God gifted Ezekiel for his task. God made Ezekiel as stubborn and hard-headed for prophesying the Word of God as the Israelites were in their rebellion against God. Ezekiel would be what Israel was called to be, but failed at over and over again: zealous for the Lord.

Sadly, I tend to be linked closer to Israel than Ezekiel. However, what a comfort to know that God equips His weak and feeble servants in the exact way they need. He does not send us off on our own or throw us into the wolves without His grace at work in us. And while success is not guaranteed, we can persevere and endure well because God is the work working in and through us.

forgiveness and fear

If you , O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.  ~Psalm 130:4

Recently, I have been on a collision course with Psalm 130:4. I read it some months ago in the midst of my on-going "read through the Bible in one year" plan. I came across it as I read Matt Chandler's The Explicit Gospel. It popped up on my Twitter feed last week. It was read in the midst of the morning worship service either last week or the week before. For whatever reason, the verse keeps coming back to me in one way or another.

And as a result, I have grown more and more fond of this verse. It seems to comfort and challenge me at the same time. It's not overly complex, but easy to memorize and meditate on throughout the course of my day.

I take comfort knowing my sin no longer stands against me before God, my King and Judge. I do not need to earn anything because it has already been earned for me, and because nothing I could ever do would make up for all the sins I have committed. But the abundance of God's forgiveness and grace enables me to stand. Thanks to Christ, I have forgiveness which is amazing and altogether glorious. I have much to rejoice in.

I am challenged by the last line of the verse. What is my response to God's forgiveness? Is it a fear of God? Does the forgiveness I have been given in Christ move me to worship and stand in awe of God? The verse says that is exactly what the aim of God's forgiveness is. I have been forgiven in order to fear Him. And when I fear Him, I do not wander into sin and away from His presence. Instead I linger there and keep coming back for more.

fear of death

You do not fear death. You think this makes you strong. It makes you weak.

Without spoiling anything, the above quote is from The Dark Knight Rises which I took in a few weeks back. It is directed at Bruce Wayne/Batman who seems to believe embracing death is his greatest ally and point of strength. He thinks it makes him invincible.

Since taking in the movie, this line has been inescapable. How does my approach to death affect me?

On the one hand, death is no longer something to fear. Because of Christ's life, death, and resurrection death does not have the final say. Death's victory and sting have been swallowed up in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). Therefore, I can echo what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. This is the believer's hope. It is the reality in which we live. As such, death is no longer to be feared.

And yet death remains. It still wins battles as friends, loved ones, and, eventually, ourselves succumb to their futility in one way or another. Even with Christ's victory, man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. (Psalm 144:4). Further still, the author of Hebrews (9:27) says, and just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. Judgment awaits all of us. For those in Christ, Christ alone is our righteousness and justification. For those apart from Christ, judgment and condemnation awaits. And this is where I need a fear of death. Not my own, but of those outside of God's saving grace.

The fear of their death (can we call it love for them?) will push me to engage the lost with the gospel. It will strengthen my resolve to see them clothed in Christ's righteousness and justified before the Father through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Death's powerlessness over me does not mean I sit and wait patiently for my time to come. Such a view is irresponsible, cold, self-centered, and sinful. It does mean I am ready, but never disengaged. Instead, I should be moved to take part in God's on-going plan of loosening death's grip day by day until the Day when it serves as nothing but a memory.

gospel > moralism

Matt Chandler on the dangers of moralism instead of the gospel:

...unless the gospel is made explicit, unless we clearly articulate that our righteousness is imputed to us by Jesus Christ, that on the cross he absorbed the wrath of God aimed at us and washed us clean--even if we preach biblical words on obeying God--people will believe that Jesus's message is that he has come to condemn the world, not to save it.


But the problem is deeper than that and more pervasive. If we don't make sure the gospel is explicit, if we don't put up the cross and the perfect life of Jesus Christ as our hope, then people can get confused and say, "Yes, I believe in Jesus. I want to be saved. I want to be justified by God," but then begin attempting to earn his salvation. By taking the cross out of the functional equation, moral therapeutic deism promotes the wrong-headed idea that God probably needs our help in the work of justification and most certainly needs us to carry the weight of our sanctification, as well. The result is innumerable Christians suffering under the burden of the law's curse because they have not been led to see that gospel-centered living is the only way to delight in the law.


~The Explicit Gospel

nowhere to go

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
~Psalm 139:7

I doubt I am the only one, but the current week has been a busy one. Beginning with a sprint vacation over the weekend and continuing with swimming championships (and rain outs), my week felt a lot more like chaos than anything else. Throw in tomorrow morning's final championships just for good measure.

As such, time for seeking and drawing closer to my God was difficult and waning. With all the busyness the desire, energy, and time seemed non-existent. The week ran on as a large blur with little to offer.

But God being a God of grace showed me the reality of Psalm 139:7. In a week where there were times when I wanted to draw near and times when I avoided it, God reminded me of His nearness nonetheless.

At work nearly everyone was out on vacation. For the entire afternoon, I was left alone. Thanks to the wonders of technology, I listened to a sermon about surrendering my will to God's and rooting myself upon God's grace alone. Additionally, I was given time to meditate, pray, and be still in the presence of my God.

Normally, I read Psalm 139:7 with a twinge of fear and trembling. I cannot escape God. All my sin is not hidden from His sight. I can run, but I cannot hide. This is sobering and should strike fear into my heart.

But as I found out today, Psalm 139:7 is a beautiful reality. God does not leave me to myself. He seeks me when even when I can't seem to find the time or desire to do so. He steps into my chaotic world bringing His presence and His peace. He feeds not with everything I want, but with exactly what my broken and desperate soul needs.