Guest post by Jeanette Andrade
November 23 Scripture Selection: Ezekiel 19-20
Food for Thought: Ez. 20:49
How frustrating it can be to speak the truth in love and fervently desire that the people truly hear, but they do not get it. Ezekiel went to the Lord, the only One He could go to, and expressed this. By this time, the Lord had had Ezekiel demonstrate, prophesy, and explain in many, various ways God’s displeasure with Israel and her fate. Yet all they could respond at this point was, “Does he not speak parables?” They were either totally oblivious to the truth or it was sarcasm due to their deliberate rebellious heart. Regardless, Ezekiel was disappointed, to say the least.
Every believer who has tried to reach people for Christ has been there. Even Jesus knows what it feels like to have His words rejected, twisted, or completely misunderstood. But we must remember that, like Ezekiel, our part in this journey is to continue being the Lord’s mouthpiece, and letting the Lord be responsible for the outcome. We cannot make people hear, understand, and receive, and it is not up to us to do so. The Holy Spirit is much more convincing and able to touch hearts.
So “let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (Gal. 6:9).” Some of us plant the seed of the Word, others will come along and water it, and God will bring the increase (I Cor. 3:7). In addition to our part in planting or watering for the harvest, Jesus tells us in Matthew 9:38 to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” As we do so in faith, we can take consolation in the fact that the Lord is, indeed, the Lord of the harvest. We can trust Him with His part in the process, and just as He reached us, He will reach those we care about as we continue to be light shining on the sown and irrigated soil of their hearts.
Digging Deeper (What scriptures can further enhance today’s reading?):
Getting Personal (What has God shown you in today’s reading?):
Confession of Faith (Example: Lord, based on Mat. 1:21 and 23, I understand that Jesus is God, and I receive Him as my personal Lord and Savior.):
Important Events on This Day (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.):
Thank you. The way we live every day and conduct ourselves can be “planting seed”
People are watching. Some are trying to ‘catch us at something’ so they can mock us.
But when God opens their eyes they remember us and say, now I see why he lived the
way he lived.
Alfred