Today's reading (Aug. 18) starts in Ezekiel 15
This reading is quite interesting. The Lord is reminding us that we were nothing before He found us, called us, cleaned us up and gave us every good gift. "I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you ... and you became mine." That is powerful love talk there.

But then ... "But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute." God's people didn't continue to rely on their God ... they began to rely on themselves. On what they could touch. On what they could see. On what gave them pleasure. Can we not learn from this lesson in our culture today?? Help us Lord not repeat the sins of the past!

What is the result of this behavior? God is going to turn the tables on them. All those that they thought were friends (aka "lovers" in the text) will turn on them, ransack their homes, and destroy all that they know. I'm amazed again that God uses those 'outside' the faith to bring judgement on His people. Just shows that God is really in control of all things!

On a side note, I'm studying about "covenant" right now for a class I'm teaching on Wednesday nights. Covenant language is all over this reading! "Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you." They covenant that the Lord made with Abraham is still in effect for his children even today. Covenants could not be broken ... they were for a lifetime. "Then I will make atonement for you for all you have done." The beauty of this is that part of the covenant process is the pronouncement of the blessings and curses. Curses would be the consequences of your actions if you don't live up to your end of the covenant. Well here, the Lord says, I'll make atonement for you ... that is opposite of the way we Westerners woudl think ... if you blow it, then you need to make it right! God says ... since you've blown it, I'll make it right ..." That's crazy talk ... but that's the kind of love God has for his children.

The reading today ends with a sprint on repentence ... it's really great stuff!! The interesting part of it all is that God announces that he is no longer judging a nation (all it's people) but rather looking at the heart of the individual. "The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him." This is new material for the prophet to consider.

I found this interesting in terms of "eternal security":
"But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered." Sound unjust? What if we reverse this ... "But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considers all the offenses he has committed as turns away from them, he will surely live."

"I will judge you , each one according to his ways ... repent! and get a new heart and new spirit. For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone ... Repent and live!"