Ezekiel 36
16 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. I have certainly done my own way plenty of times, LORD, even as a Christian. There have been times when I haven't even realized that I was doing my own way. I thought I was doing Your way, but my self- righteousness, pride, and selfishness have clouded my vision, and now I realize that love has not always been my theme.
18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: Idols! What idols? Surely an idol must be anything that has my heart too much and that comes between You and me, LORD. An idol is anything
that keeps me from following HARD after You…. anything that makes me stumble and mind the things of the flesh instead of the things of the Spirit. Yes, I have had idols...
19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. Scattered" can mean "to dash to pieces". Surely You have DASHED ME IN PIECES through this illness, LORD! But I remember Spurgeon's words-
"…It is not to consume us, but to consume our sins, that the Lord aims at in his chastisements."
-To be continued….
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