Again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people. [Ezekiel 12.1-2]
If Israel represents anything to us today, it is that people are rebellious. We can point our fingers at Israel all day long, but it is US the Word is speaking to here (if not, why waste our time?). It is not a matter of being able to see or hear, but a matter of being willing.
God has given us His Holy Word (it is found in the Bible). He has told us His Word will build and enable faith in us - the only thing that will, in turn, please Him. Many of us have carried Bibles around for years and years and still have not become true students of the Word. We have the ability to read, respond, and to relate God's Word (although it certainly presents challenges) but we are more satisfied to emotionally console ourselves and one another in our pitiful existence than we are to challenge each other to let God's Word transform us into overcomers.
The result will ultimately be the same as it was for Israel - bondage. Unless we purposefully see and hear God's Word, allowing it to embrace and change us, we too will live out our days in bondage. This bondage will manifest in confusion, unrest, sickness, turmoil, grief, pain, and weakness just to name a few. What's more, this bondage will only provide any and everything that is the opposite of peace (sounds like most of my life).
...All because we convinced ourselves we don't have the time or ability to become students of the Word.
The last couple of days in the NT reading in Hebrews it seems the writer is addressing this very issue.
Father, I want to be a real student of Your Word. I don't want Your Word to be just an everyday part of my life, but to BE my everyday life! I am not just singing a song here Lord - I am hungry! Forgive me for being unwilling to eat!
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