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Ezekiel 16 (ESV)
53 “I will restore their fortunes, both the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes in their midst, 54 that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all that you have done, becoming a consolation to them. 55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, and you and your daughters shall return to your former state. 56 Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered? Now you have become an object of reproach for the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and for the daughters of the Philistines, those all around who despise you. 58 You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the Lord.
59 “For thus says the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant, 60 yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you. 62 I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, 63 that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”
REFLECTION:
The message in this chapter is a reminder of the former contempt of Jerusalem among the Canaanite nations. God used the image of a baby girl to grow into a mature woman to remind Jerusalem that it was God who raised her from a humble state and obtained the great glory of being a bride for God. But she failed the trust of God, satiated and committed adultery to pagan countries, and imitated their customs. Because the people of Israel did not keep their promises and did not want to repent, they were not worthy of anything but punishment. However, God, who is both righteous and loving, will not withdraw His promises to them. If the people are willing to turn back, God will forgive them again and re-establish the covenant with them. Today, as the people of God, if we also leave God aside and pursue other things, even things like career, family, and education that sound like good reasons to pursue, we are betraying God in the same way. As long as you repent sincerely when you committed a sin, you will be forgiven by God. Although we are not worthy of anything and only worthy of God’s punishment for our sins, God’s merciful hand can touch us. When we repent and fall into the embrace of God, God will forgive and never reject us. May we seek God first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and our lack in the world will be given to us by God.
PRAYER:
Come to God and talk to God about your love for God; review the covenant you made with God at the beginning, express to God your willingness to keep the covenant, and follow God for the rest of your life; ask God to give you greater faith, entrust your current needs and lacks to God, so that you are willing to leave the world’s entanglements and run the heavenly journey.
HYMN:
The Old Rugged Cross – youtu.be/aNRHn2ztrXs
