Thursday, May 17: -Ezekiel 31 - I choose to follow the text.

Sometimes my mind argues with what I read. What I am trying to say is hard to express. I am reading the text, its message is clear, and yet my brain conducts a running argument as I read, saying things like, ‘This can’t be’. Today was one of those reads.

Verses 8-11 capture the point of God’s message. Using an analogy where trees are word-pictures for nations. God uses the example of Assyria to speak a word to Egypt. The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it [Assyria], nor could the pine trees equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches-- no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty. I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God. "'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside…

God’s point…I made Assyria and because of her pride, I destroyed Assyria. I will do the same to Egypt.

My mind put up arguments: no way, God is claiming that He makes nations and He destroys nations by His sovereign will. God is saying He is in absolute control of the fortunes of peoples. God is claiming to be absolutely sovereign.

And so my thoughts went… I can understand why believing the Scriptures is difficult for many people.

I had a choice… follow my mind or follow the text. I chose the text.

I choose to believe in God, Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth…

And in His only Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ…

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church… (if you didn’t pick it up these are the opening lines of the 3 paragraphs of the Apostle’s Creed.)

I chose and choose to believe in God -Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Lord, there are many times where my mind wonders ‘how or why’. Those are moments when I need to choose Your way or mine, Your thoughts or mine. I choose You, Your way, Your thoughts, Your word as truth.

I believe You are absolutely sovereign. I believe You are creator… I believe. Help me, Lord, overcome those pockets of unbelief that still reside within me. I pray through Jesus, my Savior. Amen.