". . . And They Shall Know That I Am the LORD"

Reading:  Ezekiel 4 - 7
My Verse:  ""The king mourns, the prince is wrapped in despair,
                      and the hands of the people of the land
                           are paralyzed by terror.

                      According to their way I will do to them,
                         and according to their judgements I will judge them,

                         and they shall know that I am the LORD" (Ezekiel 7:27).

These words are repeated 7 times just in these chapters, "and they shall know that I am the LORD."

In this particular passage all that You do has to do with punishment, punishment that would cause not only those being punished but also those that observe the punishment to "know" that YOU are LORD!  It is so sad that it has to come to that - but all too often we need to be punished before we realize we are in the wrong and that You, LORD God are very real and very present in our world. (Psalm 46:1)

But, that is not the only way that you try to get our attention, try to get us to "know" that You are LORD.  You also bring good things to us - like the wonderful miracles that You did while You were here on earth - the feeding of the multitudes with two fish and a loaf of bread, the healing of the man born blind, the healing of the Syrian general from leprosy, so many wondrous miracles, allowing Peter to walk on the water.

You also do wondrous things in our natural world - the very creation cries out how truly wonderful You are, LORD God.  As I am typing here, my hands are amazing at what they are able to do; my mind - how it thinks; a flower blooming; the vast variety of birds, fishes and animals that populate this wondrous place You created; the moon and stars; the northern lights.

"For what can be known about God is plain to them,
   because God has shown it to them.

For His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
     have been clearly perceived,
     ever since the creation of the world,
     in the things that have been made.

So they are without excuse"  (Romans 1:19 - 20).

Even Your word the Bible was written that we may "know" that You are LORD.

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples,
   which are not written in this book;
   but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
   the Son of God,
   and that by believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:30, 31).

"I write these things to you who believe 
     in the name of the Son of God
     that you may know that you have eternal life"  (1 John 5:13).

And throughout this amazing book that You have preserved for us through the ages You call out to us telling us Who You are and asking us to believe You.

"Be still, and know that I am God;
     I will be exalted among the nations,
     I will be exalted in the earth"  (Psalm 46:10).

"And God said to Moses, I AM That I AM,
     and he said, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel,
     I AM has sent me to you"   (Exodus 3:14).

You cry this out through Your every act, through every part of creation - clear and true!
". . . and they shall know that I AM the LORD."

Didat Deus - God Enriches!

God Does Enable Us!

Reading:  Ezekiel 1 - 3
My Verse:  "Behold, I have made your face strong and hard against their faces
                         and your forehead strong and hard
                            against their foreheads.

                    Like an adamant harder than flint or a diamond point 
                        have I made your forehead;
                        fear them not,
                        neither be dismayed at their looks,
                        for they are a rebellious house" (Ezekiel 3:8,9 AMPLIFIED).

This is an amazing thing!  Often I have wondered how the prophets did what they did, how martyrs were able to stand before their tormentors and killers - it is You that enabled them, LORD God!  I guess I just thought they were a very special people and they were but they were also people like me - people that You made special by enabling them  to endure what they did.  They were able to stand because You picked them up and held them up as you did with Ezekiel here.  He kept fainting away but You would pick him up.

"I fell upon my face . . . "
"And the Spirit entered into me  . . .
     and set me upon my feet . . ."  (Ezekiel 1:28 - 2:2).

Isaiah spoke of this very thing, of how You, LORD God enabled him.

"For the LORD God helps me;
   therefore have I not been ashamed or confounded.
   Therefore have I set my face like a flint,
   and I know that I shall not be put to shame"  (Isaiah 50:7 AMPLIFIED).

Jeremiah, too, spoke of how You, LORD God made it possible for him to do Your works.  It was You and You only that enabled Jeremiah to pit himself against his own people, against the popular culture of his day, to stand alone against the rebelliousness of all those around him.

"And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city,
     an iron pillar, and bronze walls,
     against the whole land,
     against the kings of Judah,
     its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

They will fight against you 
     but they will not prevail against you,
     for I am with you,
     declares the LORD, to deliver you"  (Jeremiah 1:18,19).

Micah spoke of this as well.

"But as for me, I am filled with power,
     with the Spirit of the LORD,
     and with justice and might,
   to declare to Jacob his transgression 
     and to Israel his sin"  (Micah 3:8 ESV).

There can be  no better example of Your enabling, LORD God, than the amazing story of Stephen's  martyrdom in Acts 6:8 - 7:60.

"And Stephen, full of grace and power, 
   was doing great wonders and signs among the people. . ."

Many were against him and tried to refute what he was saying but,

"But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking . . ."

Stephen was finally brought before his accusers in the Council,

"And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel . . ."

Even while they stoned him in rage, Stephen cried out that You, LORD God "not hold this sin against them."

I am so very grateful for Your Word, LORD God.  You know how often I need reminding of Your love for me, of Your compassion and mercy and vast power to intervene on my behalf when I am in need.

Oh, LORD God, we are Your created beings - and how far we stray from You and Your truths!

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,
     and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

Thank You for drawing me to You and enabling me to understand and believe Who You are!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!