The Lord’s Resolve, Ezekiel 7

Our outline for this chapter:

1)    Introduction 1-2a

2)    You 2b-4a

3)    Imminent 5-9a

4)    Day of Reckoning 10-12a

5)    No Escape 12b-19

6)    Beauty to Ashes 20-22

7)    Enslaved 23-27a

8)    The Lord's Resolve 4b, 9b, 27b

¹ Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 

Literally: “Word Yahweh came near saying”.

Once again, we hear the often repeated, pleasant reminder, of who our God is.

The God who draws near, “Immanuel: God with us.

And the God who speaks. In the beginning God spoke the worlds into existence. And in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (Gen. 1, John 1).

The Lord came near to Ezekiel saying...     

^2a “And you, son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel:

God draws near and speaks to Zeke specific and personal.

 Yet He calls him by the generic phrase, son of man (over 90 times), Ben Adam, meaning, son of mankind, thus looping us into the conversation.

As if saying, “Listen up, I’m speaking to you, too.”

^2b... ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
³ Now the end has come upon you,
And I will send My anger against you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations.
⁴ My eye will not spare you,
Nor will I have pity;
But I will repay your ways,
And your abominations will be in your midst;...

You

Straight out of the gate the Lord lets them know, this is on you.

You made your bed. You did it to yourself.

You brought this end which has come upon you.

My judgement against you, is repayment for your abominations.

You have sown to the flesh, now you reap corruption.

You have sown to the wind, now you reap the whirlwind.  

Be  not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Galatians 6:7-9.

Twenty-five times, the Lord, through the prophet, points His finger at Israel in judgement, saying, “You!”

When God repeats a word or phrase it’s not because He can’t think of another, it’s because He’s making a point, highlighting a theme.

When He says something once, it’s important, pay attention.

Twice, scoot to the edge of your seat and really listen.

Thrice, stand up, draw close, take notes, it’s vitally important.

Twenty-five times. My oh my. Taking personal responsibility must be mega, vitally, important.

And that’s not all He repeats.

“End” five times through verse six.

“Has come” ten times through verse twelve. (as in end has come, doom..., time..., it...).

“According to” a half-dozen times, throughout the chapter, always refers to judgement according to their ways, in repayment for their abominations.

“Your abominations” four times through verse eight.

Even a blind man can see His Message crystal clear; the end has come according to your abominations.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord!’

The Lord’s Resolve.

Over 60 times Ezekiel repeats that phrase or something like it, revealing God’s resolve; that all will know that He is the Lord.

Isaiah 45:23
I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall take an oath.

Romans 14:11
For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Philippians 2:10-11
At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Our Father wants His children to know Him.

It’s as simple as that.

If we refuse Him, reject Him, run from His Presence, His peace, protection and provision, He will let us.

When our bad choices bring disaster after disaster, He won’t stop them.

When we come to the end and only doom awaits us, He won’t change the consequences we created. 

He loves us.

Love allows choice.

Love is not control, but freedom.

Love is not silent.

Love draws near and speaks.

God is Love.

He warns us, again and again, even if it hurts. 

⁵ “Thus says the Lord God:

‘A disaster, a singular disaster;
Behold, it has come!
⁶ An end has come,
The end has come;
It has dawned for you;
Behold, it has come!
⁷ Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land;
The time has come,
A day of trouble is near,
And not of rejoicing in the mountains.
⁸ Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury,
And spend My anger upon you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations.

⁹ ‘My eye will not spare,
Nor will I have pity;
I will repay you according to your ways,
And your abominations will be in your midst.

Imminent

Notice the urgent imminency of His Words. An end has come, has come, has dawned, has come, doom has come, time has come, trouble is near. Now, upon you I will soon pour out My fury.

God’s Words must not be taken lightly or passed off for another day.

Today is the day of Salvation. Today if you hear His Voice, harden not your heart. 2 Cor. 6:2, Hebrews 4:7.

His warnings are imminent.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord who strikes.

The Lord’s Resolve, again, this time with action. The Lord who strikes.

Strikes, means what it says, strikes, smites.

“Son, this is going to hurt me, a lot more than it’s going to hurt you” is the way my dad put it as we walked, behind the woodshed.

Proverbs put it like this:

Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.

¹⁰ ‘Behold, the day!
Behold, it has come!
Doom has gone out;
The rod has blossomed,
Pride has budded.
¹¹ Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness;
None of them shall remain,
None of their multitude,
None of them;
Nor shall there be wailing for them.
¹² The time has come,
The day draws near.

Day of Reckoning

No need to be overly distraught over the rising tide of evil.

Behold the Day of Reckoning is coming.

The Judge is coming.

Justice will be served.

God is not dead nor doth He sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail.

Deuteronomy 32:35
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’

Romans 12:17-19
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Hebrews 10:30-31, 37
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ...³⁷ “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

^12b ‘Let not the buyer rejoice,
Nor the seller mourn,
For wrath is on their whole multitude.
¹³ For the seller shall not return to what has been sold,
Though he may still be alive;
For the vision concerns the whole multitude,
And it shall not turn back;
No one will strengthen himself
Who lives in iniquity.

¹⁴ ‘They have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready,
But no one goes to battle;
For My wrath is on all their multitude.
¹⁵ The sword is outside,
And the pestilence and famine within.
Whoever is in the field
Will die by the sword;
And whoever is in the city,
Famine and pestilence will devour him.

¹⁶ ‘Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains
Like doves of the valleys,
All of them mourning,
Each for his iniquity.
¹⁷ Every hand will be feeble,
And every knee will be as weak as water.
¹⁸ They will also be girded with sackcloth;
Horror will cover them;
Shame will be on every face,
Baldness on all their heads.

¹⁹ ‘They will throw their silver into the streets,
And their gold will be like refuse;
Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them
In the day of the wrath of the Lord;
They will not satisfy their souls,
Nor fill their stomachs,
Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.

No Escape

There is a point of no return. Where we suffer the consequences of our sin, and God will not soften the blow.

Outside they died by the sword. Inside by starvation. If they managed to head for the hills, they wasted away in fear and trembling.

Their wealth was worthless. Their objects of worship were repulsive.

There is no escaping God’s judgement.

²⁰ ‘As for the beauty of his ornaments,
He set it in majesty;
But they made from it
The images of their abominations—
Their detestable things;
Therefore I have made it
Like refuse to them.
²¹ I will give it as plunder
Into the hands of strangers,
And to the wicked of the earth as spoil;
And they shall defile it.
²² I will turn My face from them,
And they will defile My secret place;
For robbers shall enter it and defile it.

Beauty to ashes

They turned God’s blessings into idols.

They worshipped the gift over the Giver.

God turned His face from them, lifted His hand of protection, provision and peace.

Enemies invaded.

The secret place, the Holy of Holies was defiled, the Ark of the Covenant vanished, along with God’s Presence.

Beauty turned to ashes.

²³ ‘Make a chain,
For the land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence.
²⁴ Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles,
And they will possess their houses;
I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease,
And their holy places shall be defiled.
²⁵ Destruction comes;
They will seek peace, but there shall be none.
²⁶ Disaster will come upon disaster,
And rumor will be upon rumor.
Then they will seek a vision from a prophet;
But the law will perish from the priest,
And counsel from the elders.

²⁷ ‘The king will mourn,
The prince will be clothed with desolation,
And the hands of the common people will tremble.
I will do to them according to their way,
And according to what they deserve I will judge them;

Enslaved

Make a chain, foreshadowing the shackles of bondage your sins have brought upon you.

Judicial corruption has covered the land with crimes of blood and violence.

Therefore, the worst of the Gentiles, (criminal aliens), will possess your houses and positions of power. The land of the free the home of the brave, will cease.

You will seek peace but only find destruction and division.

You will seek vision and counsel but only find chaos and deception.

You will be enslaved in the web of sin you have sown.

Then they shall know that I am the Lord!’ ”

The Lord’s Resolve

The chapter ends revealing, once again, the Lord’s Resolve.

Three times we saw the Lord’s Resolve (end of verses: 4,9,27).

That all will know that He is Lord.

Actually, all know Him.

The question is: How?

As Father, or Judge?

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, oh how we want to know You, and be known by You. Lord, please search our heart and if there be any wicked way, that would cause You to say, “I never knew You”  please reveal it so we can repent of it, and run far from it. Help us live to hear You say, “Well done, enter in My beloved child.”

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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Thank you for sharing.

 

America's First Thanksgiving Almost Didn’t Happen

 

Thanksgiving 1621

A perfect picture of the American Dream

A beautiful picture. Men, women and children, Indians and Pilgrims, different colors and races, holding hands as one, bowing heads, giving thanks to the Lord God Almighty Creator of them all and Provider of the bounty before them.

United they feast.

But look closer and you’ll see scars, calloused hands and prayer worn knees.

The first feast of the American Dream was almost aborted before it got started.

The feast and freedom they celebrated then, and we celebrate today, began about twenty years prior.

In early 1600s King James declared Christianity the official religion of the kingdom.

It may have sounded good on paper, tyranny always does. It masquerades as an angel of light (free this, free that, diversity, equity, inclusion), while it steals, kills and destroys, like a thief in the night.

Those with eyes closed, followed blindly, doing what told to do, saying what told to say, worshipping who and how they were told to worship, existing, but not living.

Those with eyes open, spoke out. They were hunted down, locked up, banned, canceled, imprisoned, excommunicated… eliminated.

Nevertheless, the courageous few wouldn’t back down—they couldn’t.

The inward, still, small, voice was too powerful, too real, too convincing, that they were endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights, of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that could not be dictated away.

They were labeled heretics, haters, dissenters, separatists.

These Separatists decided to separate.

Like Israel fleeing Egyptian slavery, they fled.

They knew, their Promise Land was out there, somewhere. They didn’t care if it was a land flowing with milk and honey, as long as it was, a sweet land of liberty.

They landed in Holland. For about eleven years, they worshipped freely and adapted to their new land, perhaps eating cheese and wearing clogs.

But the tentacles of tyranny tightened, and once again tried to strangle their religious liberty.

The inward, still, small, voice, echoed louder. This time from out there, somewhere, some distant shore where freedom rings.

In the fall of 1620, Providence provided passage on a little ship called the Mayflower.

Thirty crew, one hundred and two passengers. Forty were Pilgrims in search of a land they’d never seen but knew and loved in their heart. Like faith heroes of old who searched for a city whose Builder and Maker is God.

Perhaps they pictured the beautiful land with spacious skies, amber waves of grain and purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain. But most of all, they were drawn to a land where, God shed his grace on thee.

The voyage was perilous, yet they made it, through the wilderness of water, only to land on a wilderness of rocks and trees.

They were greeted by New England’s bitter November wind. That’s all. No friends, or Inns, no cafés, no taverns, no houses, no churches, no shelter.

The only thing for sure and certain was that it was getting colder.   

William Bradford, a leader of the bunch, kept a detailed journal. It started, full of joy and hope. By winter’s end, it was stained with tears. Half of them died from starvation, sickness or exposure to the elements. One tearstained page tells of the passing of his wife.

But these Pilgrims were not alone. Indians appeared. Although their looks, language, and lifestyle, were different, somehow, they discovered they had the same Creator, which made them brothers.

The Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to plant corn, fish and trap and tan deer and beaver skins. They taught them to survive.

Some folks end the story there. They say, the first Thanksgiving was to say thanks to the Indians. And they all lived happily ever after, amen, the end.

But that’s not how the story goes.  

The Indians, indeed, taught the Pilgrims to survive. They did not, however, teach them to thrive. That’s something that can’t be taught. It must be caught.

That first Thanksgiving they gave thanks to God, for not only helping them to survive, but also, to thrive.

But it almost didn’t happen.

Now, that still, small, voice, grew to a thunderous roar, like waves crashing, from sea to shining sea.

You see, every good story has a bad villain. Even true stories. Especially, this true story.

It took money to charter the Mayflower. Some of the passengers were wealthy entrepreneurs. The Pilgrims weren’t. Their trip was funded by, what appeared to be, a generous gesture from businessmen in London and Holland.

It may have sounded good on paper, tyranny always does. It masquerades as an angel of light; but steals, kills and destroys, like a thief in the night.    

The funders of the Pilgrim’s journey demanded they sign a contract. Thus, the trip to freedom in the new world, was shackled to taskmasters, in the old.

The contract dictated that all profit, all property, all gain, obtained, in the new world, was not their own, but only a share in the collective whole. Everything produced would go into a common store, a single bank.

No one owned anything. All working for the common good. It sounded good on paper. Like the Tower of Babel. And we know how that turned out. Confusion. Collapse.

Even though they had everything they needed to thrive. The Indians educated. God provided. Yet, this well-intentioned socialism utterly failed and caused a shadow to fall over their souls.

Mr. Bradford wrote in his journal that this experience revealed the foolishness of the idea that bringing community “into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labour and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men's wives and children without any recompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in division of victuals and clothes than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labours and victuals, clothes, etc., with the meaner and younger sort, thought it some indignity and disrespect unto them.”

They had been so focused. Their dream for freedom so clear. They weathered stormy seas and a brutal winter. Yet, when barely into the Promise Land, they became despondent, confused, indifferent.

Bradford sought God and sought counsel. They acknowledged that the corruption in the heart of man could not resist resentment when their labors were spent for naught. He wrote, “seeing all men have this corruption in them, God in His wisdom saw another course fitter for them.”

That Godly wisdom fitter for them was to assign to every family a parcel of land.

Unlike the commune at the Tower of Babel.

Just like when each of the sons of Israel were given a piece of the Promise Land.

This was the birth of the American Dream, one hundred and fifty-five years before America’s birthday as a nation.

Nothing on the outside changed.

It was the same soil. Same weather. Same beaver skins. Same fish in the river. Same deer in the woods…but on the inside everything changed.

Suddenly they were living in the land of opportunity—and the opportunities were endless.

Bradford writes, “This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.”

Suddenly folks were willing to work rather than calling in sick. The shadow over their souls vanished. The tentacles of tyranny, severed.

Prosperity exploded. Crops were planted. Houses and churches and schools and trading posts were established. Debts to the old world were paid and the taskmaster’s shackles were shattered.

Before the next snow fall. Tears fell. Lots of tears. Tears of joy. The Harvest was great, but not nearly as great as their gratitude.

Look at them, standing there, tired, but smiling. See the scars, calloused hands, prayer worn knees, badges of victory.

Thanksgiving 1621.

A perfect picture of the American Dream.

Men, women and children, Indians and Pilgrims, different colors and races, holding hands as one, bowing heads, giving thanks to the Lord God Almighty Creator of them all and Provider of the bounty before them.

United they feast.

Thank You, Father.

Happy Thanksgiving, America. 

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(Like an awesome Thanksgiving dessert the livestream includes the awesome testimony of:  “Genny’s Pennies”).  

This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.

The Eyes of Faith, Hebrews 11:17-22

^{Hebrews 11:17-22}
 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  ¹⁸ of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

A simple outline for those few verses might look like this:

1.    Faith is tested

2.    Faith trusts

3.    Faith blesses

4.    Faith looks beyond the grave

5.    Faith grows

6.    Faith worships

7.    Faith instructs

1.    Faith is tested

Abraham was promised a son, a whole nation of sons, but after nearly 25 years of trying, he and Sarah still had none (unless you count about 14 years prior when Abe slept with the maid and had Hagar’s boy, Ishmael).

But God said Ishmael was not the one, but Isaac, born of Sarah, was the son of the promise. (Gen. 17:20-21).

Abe was 100. Sarah was 90 years barren...

Until she wasn’t.

Wow!

How?

God said so.

And so did they.

God changed their names:

Abram to Abraham (exalted father to father of nations).

Sarai to Sarah (my princess to princess). From possession to position.

They started speaking faith, and nine months later...

Barren Sarah became bearing Sarah.

 Isaac came just as God had said.

Speak faith.

Speak God’s Word, not the world’s.

Bear God’s Word, birth God’s Word, through your mouth.

Call your self who God calls you. A child of the King. A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people. John 1:12, 1 Peter 2:9.     

Speak faith and watch it grow.

So, Isaac grew into a young man, perhaps around 25 years old.

All was well.

Until God sent a test.

God asked Abe to offer his son, his only beloved son called Isaac, as a burnt offering. Genesis 22:1-18.

2. Faith trusts

Would you do what Abe did?

Trust and obey, even if it meant killing your future, your hope, your God given promise... your son???  

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Amazing faith.

Even more amazing. Abe believed that God believed that Abe was worthy to receive.

He didn’t think, I messed up so bad, God’s kicking me to the curb. I knew it. He’s taking back the promise. I don’t blame Him for finding somebody better.

Do you sabotage yourself? 

God is able. Sure. Just not through me. I’m too much of a screw up.

Dear child of God, don’t doubt God’s ability to turn an old chunk of coal into a diamond.

Don’t disgrace His amazing grace to save a wretch like we.

When you are tested, receive the test for what it is. Proof that you’re loved and an opportunity for promotion.

Proof that you’re loved:

Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction; ¹² For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Opportunity for promotion:

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

See with the eyes of faith that God has you in such a time and place to fulfill His exceedingly great and precious promises through you.

You are in the middle of a mission field, don’t hesitate and hide, be bold, stand up, lean in, speak faith and watch God arise and His enemies scatter.

Oh, and as for Abraham sacrificing Isaac, God stopped him and provided a ram instead of Isaac. Foreshadowing what would take place about 2,000 years later, on that very same mount, where the Son of God became the Sacrificial Lamb of God.

3.    Faith blesses

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.

Isaac was blind, his sons were a mess, Jacob was a cheater, Esau was fleshly, led by his belly, a good hunter and cook and dad’s favorite. (Gen. 27-28).

But God revealed that Jacob was the one to carry the promise of Abraham.

By faith Isaac put aside his own plans, ideas, desires and looked beyond his blindness to the plan of God for his sons.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau by speaking the Truth, even though it angered Esau.

Many years later, by faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed Joseph’s sons.

By faith Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel, blessed each of his twelve sons, and additionally, Joseph’s two sons (Jacob’s grandsons).

To some of the sons, the blessing may have sounded more like a curse.

However, these blessings could only be given by faith, for they told of things to come, things only God would know.  

Tapping into the heart of God and then by faith, speaking His Truth, in love, even if it hurts, is always a blessing.

4.    Faith sees beyond the grave

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, looked beyond the grave as he blessed his grandchildren

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, looked beyond the grave hundreds of years, to the time they would return to the Promise Land.

5.    Faith grows

Faith, like a mustard seed, grows.

Notice we started with Abraham and one son, Isaac.  

Then, by faith Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau.

Then, by faith Jacob blessed twelve sons and two grandsons.

Then, Joseph blessed the whole nation of Israel.

You want to have great faith? Mountain moving faith? Soul saving faith?

You have been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).

Now, what will you do with it?

Will you exercise your faith like a muscle getting stronger, by being obedient to what you know?

Whatever it is the Lord wants you to do, be faithful in that.

A few things all God’s children should do to exercise our faith:

Faithfully attend Church.

Faithfully read Bible.

Faithfully pray.

Do that. Your faith will grow.

Reject that. It won’t.

You’ll be stuck. Calling out to God when things go sideways. Unable to hear Him.

Two things to consider if you think God is not answering.

Ø Are you regularly responsibly reading His Word?

Ø Do you faithfully attend His Word being preached?

If you reject His form of communication, then, it’s not that He’s not answering, it’s that you’re not listening.

Romans 10:14, 17
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?... ¹⁷ Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of Christ.

6.    Faith worships

Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and worshipped leaning upon his staff.

One of Jacob’s greatest blessings was having the honor of seeing and blessing and worshipping in front of his grandsons.

Genesis 48:9-11
"Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”

And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”

He worshipped humbly, leaning upon his staff.

Grandpa, grandma, do your grandchildren see you faithfully, humbly, worship the Lord?

When they look in your eyes do they see eyes of faith?

Are you leaving for them a legacy of faith.

Have you noticed, all these men of faith were doing acts of faith, to their children, their family? And they were doing it when they were dying. 

These all died in faith.

Finished well.

Lord, may we do the same.

7.    Faith instructs

By faith, Joseph gave instructions for his bones to be carried back to the Promise Land. By faith he knew God would indeed come and deliver them to the Promise Land.

This morning, I received a text that read: “So it appears she will pass soon”

Since it was almost 9:00 a.m. I was about to head to the Clubhouse to set up for Bible Study.

Instead, I went to Mike and Ann’s.

Ann was in the hospice bed in the living room. Mike was by her side.

We talked about finishing well, this short life, and heaven.

Ann’s breathing was labored, her eyes closed, she didn’t respond.

But when we said, “We’re going to pray,” ever so slightly Ann nodded her head.

We prayed about making peace with Jesus and how Mike and family would be okay, “and so once you and Jesus talk it over, and you’re ready, just go ahead and go with God.”

I had to leave to get ready for Bible Study, so I didn’t see the text from Mike just minutes later that said, “She has passed.”

After Bible Study I went back over and Mike said her last acknowledgement was when she nodded her head to pray.

Ann died in faith, knowing God would indeed come and deliver her to the Promise Land.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we know we’re just passing through. Help us pass the test of faith, to trust, to bless, to see beyond the grave, to grow, to worship and instruct all those You’ve given us, so we too, indeed will see Your face and hear You say, “Well done, welcome to the Promise Land.”

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.