Ezekiel 38-40

God shares more of His future plans for His people in Ezekiel 38-40.  God's plans are detailed and focus on restoration.

Ahhh, this is the merciful and loving God we come to know through Jesus in the New Testament.  He promises to take care of the shame and unfaithfulness that is a direct result of sin in the world.  Yes!  God knows exactly what we need.

And as Ezekiel continues faithfully listening to God's direction in His life, we can't help but admire His unwavering devotion to God.  

I love how God is able to communicate so definitely with Ezekiel.  

I want to highlight one such case when God shows Ezekiel the restored temple area in Jerusalem...

"In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city- on that very day the hand of the LORD was on me and he took me there."

Ezekiel 40:1

This communication with God is interesting to me for lots of reasons.  

• One, remember, Ezekiel is still in exile in Babylon.  So God is giving Ezekiel this "vision" of something that hasn't happened yet and that is beyond his current circumstances, which have been so hard and trying.
• Two, Ezekiel knows that God is with him (his hand is on him).
• And three, God takes Ezekiel where He needs him.

This communication between Ezekiel and God is so intriguing to me because I know that God communicates with us too.  

And I really love to think about that. I don't know about you, but it's so comforting to me to think about the fact that my sovereign Lord has His hand in my life and in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

And as I think more and read more about Ezekiel's vision, I think about the power of our imagination and our dreams when we combine them with God's will for our lives.  That's how God transforms lives and uses people like you and me to do extraordinary things for His kingdom.  

A prayer for today-

Dear God,

Thank You for making Your presence known to me.  Thank You for all the ways You communicate with me.

Forgive me for all the ways I miss Your direction.

I pray that You will have Your hand on my life, always.  Help me to align my imagination, my dreams, my passions, and my resources with Your will.  I want to transform lives for You.

I also pray that You will hold ___________________ in Your arms so that ______________________ will know You, love You, and be strengthened and healed by You.

In Jesus' holy name I pray,

Amen

Grace and peace of Christ,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.