Hope For Today
Daily Encouragement for a Healing Heart from the Word of God
Deep pain and brokenness have a way of making Bible study difficult. To help bridge the gap and re-ignite our hunger for the Word of God, we’ve put together a daily devotional designed to help us all lean into God as we heal. May we seek Him daily!
Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life. Psalms 143:8 (NIV)
- Hope For Today
July 18 - Ezekiel 33:1-6
Once again, a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of the land choose one of their own to be a watchman. When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people. Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’”
What a tremendous responsibility we have to sound the alarm! Precious friends, let us not close our eyes to this reality: The vast army of the enemy is marching out against all mankind. We’ve been rescued from that enemy by the Lord Jesus Christ, but let us not turn our backs on the role we’ve been given as His followers. We are the watchmen! We can clearly see the enemy coming. We’ve even been given the playbook! Friends, we HAVE to warn the people! It’s not up to us to make sure they listen. We’re not responsible to MAKE them take our warning seriously. If they refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. We don’t need to beat them over the heads with the warning – or pronounce judgement on them for their inaction. That is not our role. We aren’t the judge and jury – we're the watchmen. We’re simply asked to sound the alarm. Are we doing it? I’m not sure I can consistently answer yes. Sure, there are times when I have played my part well. Maybe even lots of times. But sadly, there are also plenty of times when I have remained silent in spite of His prompting. As I read this passage I can’t help but fall on my knees in repentance and beg God for mercy. Lord, because of Your great mercy, release me from the consequences of my rebellion and send another in my place. Or give me another chance! Don’t let people die in their sins when I could have been the one to alert them to their path of destruction. I am overwhelmed with remorse and left only with hope in Your sovereignty. For the sake of Your Name and Your people, may Your work be done in spite of me. Friends, let’s get serious about our role! Will you join me? Let’s sound that alarm with boldness. With consistency! May we never again be responsible for a soul left vulnerable to the advances of the enemy! Not when we could have warned them. Lord Jesus, help us!
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