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A seeking heart…. (devo reflection)

Ezekiel 2:6a And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words….
On his 30th birthday, sitting by a foreign river in an exiled land, Ezekiel receives God’s call. Literally. Not only does God see him, not only does He know the desires of Ezekiel’s heart, God also knows his fears and concerns. God shows up. And thankfully, Ezekiel is paying attention. He is earnestly seeking. And he sees God is present.
Ezekiel 2:6b …Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions….
If Ezekiel had been moping, he would have totally missed God’s presence, God’s gift, His call to Ezekiel, and God’s reassurance. It’s futile to ask how many times I may have been too busy moping to notice God show up in my circumstances—much better to vow from this point on to have a seeking heart, to look expectantly at my circumstances, knowing my Savior will be found when I earnestly seek Him.
Ezekiel 2:6c …Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.
Lord, You tell Ezekiel again and again not to be afraid. And the truth is, If we align ourselves to You, there is nothing and no one to be afraid of in this life. Thank You for always showing up in my circumstances. Give me a brave heart that seeks You always. Help me to wait expectantly on Your presence. Amen.
Ezekiel 2:7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.
Have a blessed day.
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Earnestly seek Him…. (devo reflection)

Ezekiel 1:1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Commentary goes into great detail about Ezekiel’s vision in this chapter. And while there is much that is fascinating in Ezekiel’s vision, that’s not what I find most noteworthy about this chapter. Ezekiel wanted to be used in God’s service. He had planned on being a priest for the LORD. Captivity made that impossible. Yet on His 30th birthday, the day he would have begun his temple service, by a river in a faraway land, God shows up.
Ezekiel 1:26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.
God knows that Ezekiel has a heart for Him. God knows his 30th birthday marks and important milestone that will never be, God knows Ezekiel’s seeks Him with all his heart—and God. Shows. Up. But this should hardly surprising. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” It seems as if the revelation isn’t that God is with us if we seek Him, it’s that we forget that all we have to do is earnestly seek Him to be able to find Him in our lives.
Ezekiel 1:28a Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him…
Lord, You promise to never leave us nor forsake us. You promise that if we seek You wholeheartedly, we will always find You. Forgive us for our forgetfulness on such a crucial point. Help us to develop the daily habit of earnestly seeking You. Help us to see Your presence everywhere in our lives. Amen.
Ezekiel 1:28b …This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Have a blessed day.
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With all my heart and soul…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 32:36-37 “…but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.”
The theme of this chapter seems to me: God keeps His promises. He told the people repeatedly that if they did not change their ways, if they did not return and repent, exile was assured. He also promised them that He would eventually gather them back to Him and restore them.
Jeremiah 32:38-39 “They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.”
So what does this mean for us? God still wants that singleness of heart and action. He still wants that personal relationship. He still wants us to listen and obey, to return and repent. He still wants to bless us abundantly.
Jeremiah 32:40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.”
Lord, I love You with my whole heart. I want an everlasting covenant relationship with You. I am also human and fleshly and prone to stupid choices. Take from me my stony, stubborn heart and give me a tender, responsive heart only for You (Ezekiel 36:26). Draw me closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 32:41 “I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.”
Have a blessed day.