Day 66: I trust you, Lord. I don’t mind purging. Ezekiel 20
The book of Ezekiel is one powerful, prophetic book. While reading this book, you may began to feel like God is sitting next to you, speaking directly to you, and telling you what is going to happen to people. It is completely amazing to see words jump from the pages and live right in front of your eyes.
In the 20th chapter of this prophetic book, God instructed Ezekiel to tell the elders that they have no business coming to Him for information. He reminded them what He did for their ancestors and the instructions He gave them NOT to carry their stinking, dirty old idol worshipping habits with them, and they did. He wanted to destroy them, but decided not to. When He took them out of Egypt, He gave them His statutes and laws. He told them to keep them and they did not. He wanted to destroy them, but decided not to. He then told the next generations to do the same: keep His statutes and laws. He wanted to destroy them, but decided not to. Time and time again, He gave His people chances, and they continued on their path of destruction.
For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. Ezekiel 20:28 KJV
Sometimes in life, you will find you have too much stuff. Everywhere you look, every corner you turn, there’s stuff. Today’s society has become a master of having STUFF! That’s how verse 28 reads: when God gave you every good thing He was planning for you, you grabbed everything you could get…and they became you idols. Things you are willing to part with…but a category 5 hurricane will force you to part with things you’ve stored up over time. It will rip your roof off and pull everything out of your homes and vehicles. There will be nothing you can do about it but hold onto your own dear life.
And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 20:38 KJV
If you recall the story of Achan in Joshua 7, Joshua and the army had just had a great victory at Jericho. They were now going up against the small army of Ai and were completely defeated. When Joshua sought God on the matter, it turned out that someone in the camp decided they needed stuff that God told them not to take. When Joshua learned of this, the entire family of Achan and their belongings had to be purged. Those items and that family (including their pets) could not stay in the camp. Everything had to be destroyed.
Sometimes God has to cause a great purging for people to realize they have to change. In the case of the aftermath of a storm, all the STUFF was lost. There’s too much STUFF. STUFF has become people’s idols. STUFF has become what people think they need. It’s time to go back to a more simplified life: a life with less STUFF. Some of the STUFF attained is cursed and the cursed thing MUST be removed from the camp in other for God to bless the camp.
Don’t feel bad that the storm you have gone through caused you to lose stuff. It’s just stuff and God will not allow any other God to be served. Let it go. It’s just STUFF.
Letting it all go,
Keiyia JOYet George
Trust Walk: Walking in His Steps coming soon!