Ezekiel was a prophet who spoke to the Israelites being held captive in Babylon, but before he could speak to the people, he first needed to listen and receive the word from the Lord himself. This is true for all of us as well. We cannot go and feed others until we have first spent time feasting on God's Word for ourselves.
As believers we are very familiar with the great commission to go and make disciples, sharing the Gospel message and inviting others into a deeper relationship with Christ. The problem arises when we are sharing God's word without first entering in to a place of personal, deep intimacy with the Lord. This is true for most things in life. We must know before we go.
Just yesterday my sister needed to stop and fill her car with gas. Although she is very familiar with the process of doing it herself, because of new regulations, she can no longer pay after filling her tank, but must pre-pay to activate the pump. She has watched others do it many times, but was uncertain how to proceed on her own. Being in the car with her, I was able to give her a visual and walk her through each step from a place of doing it often and knowing the process. My insights and guidance were valuable to her.
Recently at the Global Missions Conference held annually at my church, guest Pastor Santiago Fuentes from Mexico City, shared how all ministry is an outflow of intimacy with God. God calls us to intimacy, not ministry. When we know and trust the Lord, allowing His truths to first "sink deep into our own hearts", we will then be equipped to walk in obedience and take His truth to others so that they too can know the Lord. He shared the following illustration.
When he was a teenager, he had a nephew who was several years younger than him. This little fellow looked up to his uncle and wanted to do everything he did. During school vacation in the summer, this child would come and spend time at Santiago's house. Wanting to give this lad a fun holiday, Santiago would plan daily outings that he hoped would amuse and excite his nephew. Every day, without question, and without knowing where they were going, this little boy would just take Santiago's hand and follow him wherever he went. He was content to know that his uncle knew where he was going, and he trusted him to guide wherever he felt best. This boy knew his uncle, and from that place of informed intimacy, a foundation of faith was established.
Do we respond the same to God? Do we know Him and trust Him so completely that even when the way is uncertain and the road looks dark, will we hold His hand and trust His heart, following confidently? When we know the One who is leading and guiding, the path pales in importance compared to the promised presence of our Saviour.
What does it mean to have God's Word sink deep into our hearts? This is not just an exercise in retaining information to pass on to someone else. The Lord's desire is for Ezekiel to listen carefully for himself, making personal application in his own life first. This must be primary before it is appropriate to instruct others. We cannot give out what we do not possess. Until our lives are transformed by God's Word, our words will have little influence in the lives of others. Internalizing all the Lord speaks to us is a prerequisite to sharing it with others. To be an effective messenger it is essential we first embody His truths in our hearts, minds and souls. God's Word was to be embraced intellectually, emotionally and personally before going and sharing with others.
Trust comes from knowing whose hand we hold. The greatest gift we will ever give the Lord is our intimacy with Him. Every day we can choose to be in His Word and in prayer. When we get to heaven one day may we be so familiar with God's face, His voice, and His character, all because of our intimacy with Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment