Scripture:
“so tell the Israelites that I am saying: You have disgraced my holy name among the nations where you now live. So you don't deserve what I'm going to do for you. I will lead you home to bring honor to my name and to show foreign nations that I am holy. Then they will know that I am the Lord God. I have spoken.” Ezekiel 36:22-23 CEV
Observation:
Israel and Judah at this time were in exile and under God’s punishment for not honoring Him and worshiping other gods. He tells them that they have disgraced His name and they don’t deserve grace and mercy, but that in restoring them, the foreign nations would see that He is holy and they will know He is the Lord God. God was going to use Israel to demonstrate His goodness to the foreign nations around them so they could see His goodness.
Application:
God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is higher and sees things differently. Sometimes we think we deserve God’s blessing and that’s why He blesses us. He may bless us in spite of us, so that unbelievers will see His goodness. Sometimes His blessing has nothing to do with us or our goodness, but so that others may believe.
Prayer:
God, I don’t want to be blessed in spite of my weaknesses. I want to be blessed because I serve You with my whole heart. I don’t want You to prosper me in my wrong doing, but because I lived life Your way. Help me to follow You closely and to walk in Your ways. I do long for Your blessing, but for the right reasons.
Your Son,
Jeff
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