Read Ezekiel 11:14-21
Ezekiel is given a message for those in exile to bring them hope. It sounds like the people left in Israel believe that they have free reign to do what they want now that the first wave of people has been taken away into exile. The people still in Jerusalem made an incorrect assumption that what had been left behind now belonged to them. Did they think they had immunity and were safe from God’s wrath?
On the contrary, God promises to be a sanctuary for those already in exile. Faithful people like Ezekiel would be rewarded for staying true to God despite the “popular” way which led to sin and death. Ezekiel was told to tell them, “I, the Sovereign Lord, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again.”
Imagining God as our sanctuary of protection brings such peace doesn’t it? The lives of these people had been uprooted from all that was familiar only to find themselves in exile in a foreign land. That had to be frightening. Every new day in exile would bring challenges. Hearing from Ezekiel that God was watching over them would be fantastic.
The glimmer of hope would sustain them, assuring them that they would one day be together again in their homeland. What a comfort that must have been. And beyond that, God’s message included the promise of peace and unity. “And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations.”
I would love to see such a promise realized in our day. Can you imagine a world where everyone was given a new spirit, each one focused on obeying God and loving one another? That sounds like heaven to me!
Any time we find ourselves in a season of darkness or lament, we can trust that God’s rescue mission for us will soon come. Our hope lies in the LORD. Psalm 33:20-22 declares, “We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.”
Let’s pray. Lord, you are my rock and my salvation. My hope rests in you. Thank you for watching over me and protecting me. Help me to always trust you and not only rely on my own strength. Calm my fears and show me the way you want for me to go. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
