Reading: Ezekiel 12
My Verse: "And the Word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say,
The vision that he sees is for many days from now,
and he prophesies of times far off.'
Therefore say to them,
Thus says the LORD God:
None of my words will be delayed any longer,
but the word that I speak will be performed,
declares the LORD GOD" (Ezekiel 12:26-28).
There is this mantra that goes about and occasionally becomes popular.
"Live each day as if it were your last."
But to live in such a way is far too exhausting and one soon gives it up.
And yet, here is a warning you give to the people of Israel and to us, and in the giving of it is the implication that we do need to be aware - there is coming a time when we have to answer for how we live. The people scoffed at Ezekiel saying, "The vision he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off." They, like us, did not want to do the exhausting work of living an intentional life (Philippians 4:8), giving ourselves totally to You (Deuteronomy 6:5), and keeping ourselves apart from the ways of this world (Philippians 2:14-15, Romans 12:2).
It is just not easy. And yet, LORD God, it is so much more satisfying. Sadly many give up their walk with You - to live for themselves, thinking this will be easier.
My son and I were speaking of this very thing. He is reading Jean-Paul Sarte and was speaking of what Sarte termed "bad Faith." This is basically when one gives up what they believe to be truth and then tries to live as if they never believed that truth. These individuals end up beating against an unmovable wall, which they cannot get past. It is not a good place to be.
I like how John Piper points out that Christmas actually cuts history in half.
“What we need to remember is that with the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, the days of fulfillment, proclaimed by all the prophets, began. And ever since the first Christmas we have been living in those days. The “last days” foretold by the prophets are not the twenty-first century. The last days began in AD 1. -Excerpt From: John Piper. “The Dawning of Indestructible Joy.”
We live in the "last days." The Coming of You LORD God draws nearer every day. But, many would say it is so exhausting to live with that thought "live each day as if it were your last." I really like this poem of an ancient man, Saint Nicephorus the Hesychast (c.1250-1280). He clearly points out the only way one can do this.
New Knowledge
"Thereafter, you must see to it
that so long as your spirit bides
-that is, at home within the heart-
you must not stay silent nor idle,
you must not take this treasure lightly.
Have no other occupation, no other
meditation than the cry of
"LORD Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me!"
Under no condition acquiesce
to rest, but fix your heart solely
on this elevating work.
This practice will protect your spirit
from wandering, and will make it impregnable, wholly inaccessible
to the deceptions of the enemy.
the prayer will draw you every day
more deeply into love, more fully
into love with and in desire for your God". -from "Love's Immensity"
Adaptations/translation by Scott Cairns.
That kind of sums it up. We cannot stay the course on our own. Your coming is really not so very far off and we must keep that at the foremost of our thoughts and our daily decisions, but we can do so only with Your constant help and mercy. Thank You, LORD God, for Your mercy.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "And the Word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say,
The vision that he sees is for many days from now,
and he prophesies of times far off.'
Therefore say to them,
Thus says the LORD God:
None of my words will be delayed any longer,
but the word that I speak will be performed,
declares the LORD GOD" (Ezekiel 12:26-28).
There is this mantra that goes about and occasionally becomes popular.
"Live each day as if it were your last."
But to live in such a way is far too exhausting and one soon gives it up.
And yet, here is a warning you give to the people of Israel and to us, and in the giving of it is the implication that we do need to be aware - there is coming a time when we have to answer for how we live. The people scoffed at Ezekiel saying, "The vision he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off." They, like us, did not want to do the exhausting work of living an intentional life (Philippians 4:8), giving ourselves totally to You (Deuteronomy 6:5), and keeping ourselves apart from the ways of this world (Philippians 2:14-15, Romans 12:2).
It is just not easy. And yet, LORD God, it is so much more satisfying. Sadly many give up their walk with You - to live for themselves, thinking this will be easier.
My son and I were speaking of this very thing. He is reading Jean-Paul Sarte and was speaking of what Sarte termed "bad Faith." This is basically when one gives up what they believe to be truth and then tries to live as if they never believed that truth. These individuals end up beating against an unmovable wall, which they cannot get past. It is not a good place to be.
I like how John Piper points out that Christmas actually cuts history in half.
“What we need to remember is that with the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, the days of fulfillment, proclaimed by all the prophets, began. And ever since the first Christmas we have been living in those days. The “last days” foretold by the prophets are not the twenty-first century. The last days began in AD 1. -Excerpt From: John Piper. “The Dawning of Indestructible Joy.”
We live in the "last days." The Coming of You LORD God draws nearer every day. But, many would say it is so exhausting to live with that thought "live each day as if it were your last." I really like this poem of an ancient man, Saint Nicephorus the Hesychast (c.1250-1280). He clearly points out the only way one can do this.
New Knowledge
"Thereafter, you must see to it
that so long as your spirit bides
-that is, at home within the heart-
you must not stay silent nor idle,
you must not take this treasure lightly.
Have no other occupation, no other
meditation than the cry of
"LORD Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me!"
Under no condition acquiesce
to rest, but fix your heart solely
on this elevating work.
This practice will protect your spirit
from wandering, and will make it impregnable, wholly inaccessible
to the deceptions of the enemy.
the prayer will draw you every day
more deeply into love, more fully
into love with and in desire for your God". -from "Love's Immensity"
Adaptations/translation by Scott Cairns.
That kind of sums it up. We cannot stay the course on our own. Your coming is really not so very far off and we must keep that at the foremost of our thoughts and our daily decisions, but we can do so only with Your constant help and mercy. Thank You, LORD God, for Your mercy.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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