"Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations....You...will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home....I will cause many people to live on you--- yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.'" (Ezekiel 36 NIV)
If one is allowed to have "favorite" passages, this has to be one of them. Today I had the sense of Jesus standing on the shores of the Galilee and declaring these words to what we call inanimate objects, "mountains and hills,..ravines and valleys." Here Jesus is reminding humanity of the ages that His purposes still stand, His will, "will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven." Nothing you nor I do, or don't do can change that. History, "His Story," just keeps unfolding.
I saw a "lonely creature" on those shores, abandoned by those whom He loves, those for whom He shed His Blood. The vast majority have rejected Him, grown cold towards Him, indifferent. Yet no matter what humanity does, Jesus has His Church. One old gentleman in a congregation I pastored use to say, "Jesus will have a church. The question is, Will I be a part of it?"------ the question of the ages. Yes, there is always that promised, "remnant." But again, who will be a part of it/Him?
If one is allowed to have "favorite" passages, this has to be one of them. Today I had the sense of Jesus standing on the shores of the Galilee and declaring these words to what we call inanimate objects, "mountains and hills,..ravines and valleys." Here Jesus is reminding humanity of the ages that His purposes still stand, His will, "will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven." Nothing you nor I do, or don't do can change that. History, "His Story," just keeps unfolding.
I saw a "lonely creature" on those shores, abandoned by those whom He loves, those for whom He shed His Blood. The vast majority have rejected Him, grown cold towards Him, indifferent. Yet no matter what humanity does, Jesus has His Church. One old gentleman in a congregation I pastored use to say, "Jesus will have a church. The question is, Will I be a part of it?"------ the question of the ages. Yes, there is always that promised, "remnant." But again, who will be a part of it/Him?
Does our Lord Jesus have to talk to those around us, even the land of our birth, inanimate objects because we are not listening, obeying? This is the scenario of our text. Nations which surrounded Israel and many of the Jews themselves had long since ignored, "The Word of God." Such a life style is only to one's own hurt. But God says, "Okay, no one is listening? I will tell the Land what I am going to do." He then prophesied, "to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys."
"The Word of God," is Eternal, indeed, "The Eternal One." It is not a cold nor indifferent statement to say that no matter what you or I do or do not do, Jesus is moving through history in His purposes for Planet Earth. He invites all, "Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." Yet is the "whoevers" are few, still Jesus speaks, Jesus moves, Jesus reigns. He could also be saying, "Whoever desires, let him be a part of My Church, live your life in My Kingdom and live by the laws of My Kingdom. I have spoken to lands. Hear My Words as I speak to you."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that no matter who is listening or who is not, You still speak. Help me to "latch on" to Your Words. Amen.
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You probably think sometimes that you receive more prayer requests than you need, but, "whosoever will," please remember my sister, Kate. She has been in the hospital with respiratory problems, and is now going into an isolation room because of infection.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
