I was reading Ezekiel 24 today for my devotions, and I came across a verse that just stopped me in my tracks for a moment. It is one of those verses that you sometimes have to do a double take on, because you think what you read cannot be possible. But it was, and I now have read it many times from talking to people about it and from continually thinking upon, which is why I had to write this blog.
Ezekiel 24:15-17 says, “Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.”
Read it again and look it up in your Bibles and read the rest of the context. It is a tough section and demonstrates a great man of faith and very disciplined. What would be your first response if God told you He was going to take your wife and you could not show any sorrow, except a quiet whimper? Not only that you could not perform your Jewish traditional rituals. I thought about this. Just to think about my wife dying now causes me to choke up a little, but to have God tell me that she is going to die and I cannot mourn. Man. . . . That is almost an insane thought, but obviously it is not, as God did it.
What impresses me is that Ezekiel does exactly what God said. He does not mourn. He does what God tells Him. This is one disciplined man. He knows His God and trusts in Him, even though God took His most valued desire. He trusts God and His decisions no matter what it looks like from his immortal finite mind. To be this disciplined is just amazing, and I pray that I could be as faithful and disciplined to whatever called me to do as well. But, I must be honest that it would be very tough if He said He was going to take my wife or one of my girls. I can only hope that He would give me the power through the Holy Spirit to make it through.
Do you have this kind of faith and discipline? Are you ready to truly give up everything for your Savior? If we worship anything above God then it is an idol, and our spouses can fall into that category. Is your spouse your idol? You have to walk in a deep relationship with God to be as disciplined and faithful as Ezekiel. How is your walk? I know I am truly looking at mine after reading this passage.
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