Wednesday, May 16: Ezekiel 30 - Cry for them.

As the first words pierced my soul, my mind and meditations began. Wail for them. Cry for them. Be in pain over them…

"Son of man, prophesy and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'Wail and say, "Alas for that day!" For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near-- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations (2-3).

When someone is in the prime of life, when they are strong and able and a calamity befalls them… cancer strikes or death ensues, a natural human reaction is, ‘How sad!’ How sad that someone so vigorous, with so much to live for, is taken from us.

Such is the picture I had reading this chapter. Egypt, in the prime of life, is being struck down. People of God, this is sad….wail, cry, feel pain…

Then I wondered if some of the pain they should feel is pain caused by their lack of witness to the Lord. For 400 years Israel lived among Egypt, for another 1000 or so years they have been neighbors, sometimes on good terms, others not. In all that time, Israel had no spiritual impact on Egypt.

And so I wondered, as Egypt’s demise is made public…

In the next moment, God ushered me to today.  Am I Israel? Complacent and content in my relationship with God, yet unwilling to allow my contacts with others to share the good news of God’s Gospel?

Food for thought…

Jesus, lead me through doors You open to be an able witness for You and of You. In Your name, I pray. Amen.