On My Side

Over the last month or so, I have been reading through the book of Ezekiel found in the Old Testament. Ezekiel was a prophet of God during the exile into Babylon. Like many prophets in scripture, Ezekiel didn't have it easy as a prophet. Have you ever read through scripture numerous times, yet every time you read it, new things are revealed. Well, this happened for me towards the beginning of the book. In the fourth chapter of Ezekiel, we are told that that he is told by God to lie on his side for 390 days, then switch and lay on his other side for 40 days eating bread made from wheat, barley, beans and lentils. This will be is food during this time. Oh, and he must cook it in his own poop. Ezekiel asks God in his true human nature,"Not so Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth". To paraphrase, "Please God, don't make me eat my own excrement!" "Alright," Says God," Use cow dung instead. "He then said to me: "Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin."- Ezekiel 4:16

Talk about a tough sermon illustration.   

Ezekiel spends 22 years prophesying about the fall of Jerusalem. That had to be rough, but he did it because God told him to. He knew that if God had said it, it would not return void. He realized that God had picked him to preach his word, and if God had chosen him, he couldn't turn it down. If God called you to do something hard and probably uncomfortable, would you do it? Would you do the hard in order to save the lost. I hope that if and when that time comes, I will put aside myself, and lay on my side for a period of time in order to get my message across. Will you?

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God

*photo credit- imgur.com