“Hear What The Word Is”
The
word of the LORD came to me: Mortal, the inhabitants of these waste places in
the
As
for you, mortal, your people who talk together about you by the wall, and at
the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to a neighbor, “Come and hear
what the word is that comes from the LORD.” They come to you as people come,
and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will
not obey them. For flattery is on their lips, but their heart
is set on their gain. To them you are like a singer of love songs, one
who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; they hear what you
say, but they will not do it. When this comes – and come it will! – then they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Ezekiel 33:23-33
The
Bible provides us with life-saving spiritual help, but we have to listen and
act. In Ezekiel we read that the ancient Israelites used the words of the
prophets to make them feel good but not to change their lives. They misused
God’s promises to Abraham to support their own claims to land. They found
pleasure in listening to the words of the prophet. They came under divine
judgment, just as we do.
Then
as now, God’s Word is not to be cherished as a good luck charm or to soothe the
mind by bringing temporary relief from anxiety. It was given to be obeyed so
that its help would not be only for this life – but forever.
We don’t really know the Bible
until
we obey the Bible.
Our Daily Bread –