November 10

Ezekiel 21:1-22:31, Hebrews 10:1-17, Psalm 108:1-13, Proverbs 27:12

Pray: Dear God, we often read of situations in Your Word which we find hard to understand and even harder to believe. We believe that You are good, that Your faithful love does endure forever. We ask for Your insight through the Holy Spirit that we would see Your will for our lives.

Read: All leaders are fallible. We all fumble the ball from time to time. However, Ezekiel describes premeditated extortion, and disregard for the very people they are to serve. The priests have made a mockery of God and their priesthood. Everything rises and falls with leadership. This was a fallen people due to fallen leaders.

Edify: At first glance the text is very hard to digest and even harder to try and find a “takeaway” from today’s reading in Ezekiel. However, we begin to understand why God says that He will destroy both the righteous and the unrighteous. Learning that men are raping their sisters, having sex with their daughter-in-laws and adultery is being committed as a way of life is appalling. Pride, arrogance and total disregard for God is at the heart of these sins. No wonder God is showing little patience for such behavior as it is devastating to everyone.

Practice: Jesus is the once and for all sacrifice for our sins. We are separated from God due to our sin, yet in Christ we can have full reconciliation through the cross. Jesus’ precious death on the cross paid our sin debt past, present and future. The old covenant was canceled so that the new covenant could be realized. Knowing that Christ’s sacrifice made possible our cleansing, our new life is possible because of His death should overwhelm us with gratitude. How will you show your gratitude to God today by the way you live?