Ezekiel 3:1-15

This section is an interesting study in cause and effect.

The first cause is that God told Ezekiel to eat the scroll and actually fed it to him. The effect was sweet in his mouth, food to his stomach, and filling for his body. This is what God's word is to be to me as well - a sweet taste in my mouth, food to meet my immediate needs and nutrition for my long term survival as a Believer.

But the next cause and effect is also typical of my life as a Christian. Ezekiel was given a very specific task - to go to the exiles to preach repentance. In this case the Lord made it clear that the result would not be so pleasant. The task was to take a message of judgment to a stubborn people, and not just any people, but Ezekiel's own people, who were going to be angry, rebellious and stubborn. So the result of this cause - the mission - would not be pleasant and nurturing. It would be difficult and challenging in every way.

In fact, the result of this commission was that Ezekiel was embittered and full or rage. The bitterness and rage seem to be the result of seeing the people through God's eyes. So, although God's word was sweet and good for him, the final result was a very difficult task that filled him with negative emotions.

What can I learn from this? My problem right now is that I am in a set of challenging and difficult situations - health issues and difficulties in ministry, in particular. In reading this I realize that I have not been allowing the Word to be sweet, filling nutrition to my life. Without this, Ezekiel could not have stood the rejection and anger of his fellow exiles and without this I cannot bear the constant sense of isolation that I am experiencing in both health and ministry areas.

Lord, let me look to You and Your Word for all I need!