Today’s Reading, Ezekiel 16-17
Focal Scripture: Ezekiel 16:21 “You slaughtered my children and gave them up when you passed them through the fire to the images.”
The Bible is full of powerful imagery. Its examples and parables are often full of rhetoric that can shock the senses. I believe that is a good thing. The description of Israel in chapter sixteen is almost too much to bear. God spares no detail on how he looked after them and what they did to him. The nation gave itself to others and constantly committed adultery.
This is where our verse find us today. In one of the most despicable acts imaginable some people in the nation committed live sacrifices of their children to other gods. Imagine being disrespectful to the person who has saved you on multiple occasions. He has protected you and made you important. Then you violate his standard and kill your own children in honor of a false God. It reveals the heart.
Before we get passionate about what is happening here and claiming that we never could act that way, let’s examine our hearts. We might not sacrifice our children to the fire of death. But do we sacrifice them to the fire of the world in other ways? Do we demonstrate to our children that worshiping other things is more important than worshiping God. Do we sacrifice character traits so our children can be successful?
We may not actually kill our children but we often set them up for failure by showing them that spiritual adultery is ok. The impact of today’s reading is to realize we are all capable and prone to commit spiritual adultery. We can forget what God has done and worship other things. We can even miss Gods provision in our life because we are focused on what we see and not what he has proven in our day to day.
The main takeaway for today is to remember what God has done in our lives. Take time to reflect on ways God has moved in your life. Write them down and never let them leave your heart. We can all commit spiritual adultery when we lose focus on our God.
Let us submit our minds and hearts to the one who saves. That way we won’t become an adulterous people.
Tomorrow I plan on reading Ezekiel 18-20
