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Pack RatsTuesday, March 24, 2009Ezekiel 11:19-20 17 "Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.' 18 "They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. During the time of the Babylonian exile, the prophet Ezekiel spoke as God's messenger. He mainly delivered messages warning the Jews of the impending doom and occasionally delivered a message of hope. The passage we read today both threatens the unfaithful and promises hope to those who remain loyal to God during the exile. Idolatry is the main issue being discussed in this scripture passage. The worship of idols had gone too far. Many people had confused the one true God with idol worship. They spent too much time worshipping idols in the name of God than God himself. Ezekiel warns them that God expects the worship of idols to stop and promises to bring the Jewish people back home after the exile should they worship God and follow his commandments. Today we don't have to worry about being conquered and put into exile away from all things familiar, yet still we have some commonalities with these ancient people in this ancient story. I am sure that it wasn't intentional, but somewhere along the way those that were faithful to God got mixed up in some practices that did not honor God. They lost focus and Ezekiel warns them that the exile is God's way of cleaning house. Things better be different when they return. Idol worship is not acceptable. God expects those that return to be loyal to God in heart and law. Idol worship still plagues us today. Even within Christian communities idolatry exists often times disguised as a new state-of-the-art church building or as a cool and edgy Christian band. Some churches idolize their membership roll which others idolize their aging building and forget to reach out to visitors. Idolatry exists outside the church as well. We idolize fame, fortune, the new latest and greatest technology, and most importantly, our own security. Ezekiel's message for us today would be...it's time to clean house. Without intentionally doing it, most of us live in cluttered houses. Although at one point our spiritual house might have been in great condition, but over time we become pack rats and clutter our lives. We become distracted and preoccupied with the mess and forget that God used to live here with us. What clutter in your house is distracting you from God? It's time to take inventory. Most of us don't even know what junk we have accumulated since our last cleaning. Ask yourself, what needs to be removed in order for you to receive a new spirit and see God more clearly? I invite you to take time and write down all the things that get between you and God; then do something about it. Cleaning the clutter isn't all that fun, but it's necessary. Prayer: Almighty God, forgive me for cluttering my life with things that don't really matter. Help me to get rid of my distractions so that I can focus on you. Amen. For more informationRev. Leigh Martin |
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