The Word of the Lord

 Ezekiel 22-24; Revelations 9 

“The Word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead…So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.”

Ezekiel 24:15-18

Every area of Ezekiel’s life was used by God to speak to Ezekiel, including his marriage. God took away the delight of Ezekiel’s eyes, his wife, and forbade Ezekiel from mourning for her death. This was a sign to the Israelites who were watching him.

Are we open to God speaking to us through our family members and our home life?

Jesus experienced the death of his good friend Lazarus as a message to his disciples. God doesn’t promise us a life free of pain here on earth; however, he does promise us his presence in the midst of our pain. Ezekiel valued obedience to God as greater than his personal happiness. The costly Gospel of Jesus invites us to do the same.

“Lord Jesus, I surrender all you have given to me – family, possessions, and health, for your glory.”