thecrump

Ezekiel 12:15 "They will know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries."

I can imagine that there is a easier way for God to declare His authority than to send His people into captivity.  Surely He could write His Name in the sky or turn every enemy of Israel into a frog.  Those things would surely get Israel's (and our) attention...right?

Unfortunately, that is not the case.  After all, when Jesus was on the earth He performed many miracles and Israel did not turn to Him.  Countless sick were healed, thousands were fed and the dead were raised...and yet most did not follow Him.  The same is true today. God does not often work through glowing supernatural events.  Instead, He choses to use the natural and often this "natural" event takes the form of suffering or discomfort for us.

Why would He do it that way? Because it gets our attention.  When we are in the midst of easy times and comfortable circumstances we struggle with submitting to Him.  After all, we have it all together...why do we need God?  But when the bill is due, the sickness returns or work is hard we cling to God like our life depends on it.  This is what God wanted all along...our dependence on Him.  I'm reminded of a verse from last nights teaching in Hosea.

Hosea 5:15 "I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

God promises Israel that He is going to leave them...and in time they turn back to Him because they have nothing else.

My prayer today is that I would not simply be the fear-weather follower.  I don't want to come to God only when I am struggling.  Yes, that is the perfect time to come to Him (and we should) but I also want to depend on Him in the high times.  After all, He is worthy of my continual praise simply because HE IS LORD.