Talking to the Mountains - A Lent journey through Ezekiel

As we start reading through Ezekiel 6 we may be confused as to why Ezekiel starts speaking to the mountains. Perhaps we are justified in thinking that he has lost his marbles, or maybe he has just hasn't had his morning coffee as yet. However, it is not as weird as we may think. Here is why...

...The mountains around Jerusalem were known to be places of pagan worship. Many a god was represented by an image and then placed in a shrine somewhere on the mountains. So, when Ezekiel is instructed to turn towards the mountains and prophesy, he is actually speaking to ALL the other gods and graven images. See if it now makes sense to you:

The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel; prophesy against them ³ and say: ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

One of my favourite Psalms is 121 and this song of David paints a similar picture to the one in Ezekiel 6. If you get a chance read it here.

So the message for us this Lenten period could be something like this:

i. Have we turned to other "things" for our source of help and strength?
ii. How long will it take before we realise that God doesn't enjoy his children being "unfaithful"?
iii. What will it take for us to turn back to Christ?

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Turn Around God! - Lent 6

We often reflect on how we need to turn to God (which is true). Repentance comes from the word 'metanoia' which means 'to turn around' or 'turn back'. In a different spin on this word picture, we read in Psalm 6, how David begs God to turn around.

"Turn,  Lord , and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love." - Psalm 6:4

It is almost as if David imagines that God has turned his back on him. David longs for God to be moved by love and to rescue him from his distress. 

Do you feel that God has turned his back on you?

I assure you that he has not turned his back on us and that Jesus remembers us through his unfailing love. When Jesus glances at his scars and wounds he remembers us by name. How can he turn from the people he gave his life for?

Remember these old familiar words:

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in his wonderful face,

And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of his glory and grace."

William Stafford - “What can anyone give you greater than now, starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?”

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Turning to

Repentance is referred to as the 'about turn' (metanoia) we make when we realise that we aren't following God's ways. In changing direction, repentance takes us away from our sins and leads us 'back on track' with God.

What is equally as important, for me, is where we turn and to whom we turn. If I turn away from a destructive lifestyle, is it because I realise it will destroy me, or is it in order to surrender to Christ? Turning away from sin needs to be matched with turning to the Grace of Jesus. This is part of what Lent reminds us of - Jesus brings us life.

Don't just blindly turn away from sin, without turning into the arms of Jesus.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Repentance

We have probably come across the word 'Repent' in Church circles before. It can be used to make people feel guilty about their lives, but when used in the right way, it is a powerful concept. I have been reading 'The Secret Message of Jesus' (by Brian Maclaren) and he writes this:

"Repentance means to reconsider your direction and consider a new one, to admit that you might be wrong, to give your life a second thought, to think about your thinking. It means, just as Jesus said to Nicodemus that night, that you have to begin again, become a child again, be born again."

I find that when I take some time out, I try to 'give my life a second thought'. I try to consider the direction I have been heading and honestly discern if I need to 'repent.'

What do you think about this? Perhaps it's time for some good old repentance!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3