Promised Return of Israel

Having made the picture (and certainty) of judgement clear, Ezekiel returns to God’s mercy. Through the prophet, God assures those in exile that He would bring them back to their land. This is an act of grace – the people have not deserved this return. And yet, God makes a way. In response, He calls them back to covenant relationship – to devote themselves to their gracious God, rather than to their worthless idols.

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

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REFLECTION

 

The Promised Return

by Kelsey Bacon

After this whole week of reading about God's judgement and wrath, this passage feels like a breath of fresh air. It feels like hope, like a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite the anger of God, despite the judgement he bore down on the Israelites as they turned away from him again and again, God turned the page, forgave, and pulled back the clouds so the sun could shine again.

After this whole year, I feel like I need a breath of fresh air. I feel like I need hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know about you, but I've been feeling pretty hopeless and pessimistic lately (which is not my usual state) as the prospect of a winter in isolation looms. Reading this passage feels like a big, deep breath of air has filled my lungs. All the problems haven't gone away, but there is hope.

In this passage, God promises unity. He promises healing, he promises his Spirit, he promises to make us new, to make us more like him. And these promises inspire such glory that even the angels in heaven celebrate. Back in Ezekiel's days, the Israelites were in desperate need of God. I don't think that need has changed much in the years since. Even now, we are in desperate need of a God who can do the things that this passage promises--a God who saves us, who unites us, and who inspires such love and devotion in us that we worship him and only him.

This passage is one of hope in a dark time. Right now, it might be hard to find much hope as we look at the world, at our country, at this virus that is changing our lives in so many ways. It can be easy for us to let our hearts harden to God's goodness, to let our eyes be blind to his work, close our ears to his voice. But as he says here, "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh." These are words of hope, promises of healing and of new life. 

Reflection:

1. Where is God providing hope and healing in your life right now? Pray and listen.

2. Where might you have hard-heartedness in your life? Pray and ask God to give you a soft heart, the heart of the Father.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

 

THURSDAY: LIFE - Lord God Almighty, we lament the current distress of our nation and we ask for your intervention. We implore you that every precious life would be protected – lives of minorities, lives of the unborn, lives of the hopeless, lives of the mentally ill, lives with deep roots in this land, lives who have recently arrived -- each and every precious life for whom You gave Your precious life.