Ezekiel 14:7,8--"For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face...I the Lord will answer him by myself: and I will set my face against that man...and ye shall know that I am the LORD."
I hope to one day write about nothing but cheer and happy thoughts, but this is not to be that year I suppose. My growing in Him continues-along with the refinement fire to burn up all that is no good in me. These last few years that whole sifting process has caused me to see where I had hoarded excuses in the secret hideouts in my heart. Excuses for acting like this or thinking like that. Now He has exposed it all so I have no more excuses. I know He does this simply because He loves me and I asked to be made real. But it leaves me standing on what seems like a precipice of decision. Can I keep going? That may be better asked can I keep growing? Sometimes I just feel like the growing process will kill me...maybe that's what He's after. Getting rid of the "me" that He never intended to be me anyway, replacing that with something new from Him.
Sometimes the "religious" do's and don'ts tended to distract me from what was in my heart. The practices of religion and even observances could become so tedious to follow that it was easy to think I was doing my part as long as I was participating in the practices established by man. Maybe some of those practices in this world are even great tools used by the enemy to keep people from focusing on what is really vital-the heart being pure before the Almighty.
I do not understand as much about Him as I once thought I did . He looms larger and larger. His ways are more mysterious than I can conceive, but His faithfulness continues to woo me. His promises never fail. Though I don't understand all of His words, I read them and they show me hints of His character-that I may know that He is the LORD. Warnings and promises, all for me and I cannot take only the parts that look appealing.
Ezekiel 16:60-62--"Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways and be ashamed...and thou shalt know that I am the LORD."
Oh Angel, this is so profound, so deeply profound. I heard my heart begin to pound as I read your words that rang so true to my own heart. Every single time I feel I know Him better, more intimately, I realize all the more just how little I do know of Him. Oh, this was so good and it touched the depths of my heart. Thank you Angel.
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