I was sitting at my favorite table at a local café answering emails and writing words when I noticed him. He had his Bible laid open and his computer closed.
A few minutes later I caught a glimpse of him wiping away his tears. There sat a grown, non-wimpy, fairly hip man using the sleeve of his fleece jacket to wipe away the intimacy His Father had just spoken from the Pages. And seeing him affected me.
I don’t know what God told him or what ground he may be personally treading, but something about his interaction with the God of the universe over the Scriptures pierced his heart. And it made that God-joy stir up prayers in my spirit for him.
It reminded me of something I’ve been studying. I’ve been hanging in the book of Ezekiel recently. Why, Lara, why?! True. It’s a slightly strange book but something in those first couple of chapters keeps haunting me — in a good way.
Ezekiel sees the glory of God (literally) and it makes his knees buckle. He falls to the ground on his face and the Spirit of God lifts him onto his feet. Then God tells him how it’s going to be.
“I’m sending you to my rebellious people and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord.'” (my paraphrase) Then God tells him to open his mouth and eat what He gives. And what does He give? A scroll. I told you it was odd. God told Ezekiel to eat His words so that he could speak forth His words.
Ezekiel’s response? He ate it and it was as sweet as honey.
And he (God) said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. ” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.
Ezekiel 3:3
It doesn’t make sense from a worldly perspective. But God’s Word is sweet food to our souls. He gave it as a gift to meet us in the midst of our questions and fears, to guide and convict, to love and transform.
When He speaks to His children through what seems to be an ancient text, it changes things. It changes our vision. It brings tears to our eyes even in the midst of a crowded café.
Fill me, Lord…
Tell of a time when God met with you intimately through His Word.
If you haven’t had that kind of interaction with His Word, you can. Spend some time praying that God would make His Word alive to you. Then maybe seek out someone who walks close with the Lord and ask for some guidance.
I’m praying for this man today, whatever his circumstances. Thank you for this message today, Lara.
That’s kind of you, Sarah. 🙂
IT was to be therapy and it was but not the kind I expected. Dealing with a horrendous childhood I could not move on in healing until I dealt with the abandonment of my mother. I was to see her in front of me so I set a picture. I was to ask her why I could live with her. I did (not very nicely either). My surrounds became blurry and I heard God say because I gave you (my husband and daughters). I gasped and it was so clear. If I had lived with my mother I would have lived in a differently state, believed a different faith.
It was so clear, he prepared me for meeting my husband. Prepared me for 40 years of marriage to the most accepting person I know. I was not a nice person but he loved, cared and calmly accepted the inner me. Thank you Father for seeing what I could not.
He is always grace, isn’t He?! In spite of us, He loves. Praying He continues to mend those wounds.
What a moment to witness! Such glory…
I’m blessed to say I’ve had these moments, too. Where God speaks to me through his Living Word. Sometimes, it’s not what I want to hear that makes my heart well up in my eyes…
I blog about them often. and I don’t want to seem spammy, but because you asked here is an example: http://simplystriving.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/the-real-you/
Oh I love that you mentioned Ezekiel!! One of my favorite verses comes from that book – Ezekiel 22:30 – “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. (Ezekiel 22:30 NIV).
Ok ok – I know it sounds a tad gloom & doom – to an extent, it is, I suppose. But I choose to view it as a reminder to be the intercessor He calls us all to be! If only ONE person had stood up, God’s wrath would have been turned away. What if we started out as just the one person that we are & prayed for, interceded for, & believed God for the needs of people right before us? How much of an impact could we have? It boggles my mind! 🙂
Oh goodness, Ezekiel! 3 words for that book for the first 39 chapters or so…die to self . I was in the midst of a great valley when I was reading that book. We were losing our home and didn’t have money to go anywhere else. Anyways, the persecutions and trials that our good man Zeek faced left me so depressed in my own walk. YET, at the end of the book, Ezekiel got to experience God’s glory! It took my breath away and now I can honestly say there is no greater joy then experiencing that. But it does come with a high price…we have to die to self. Not easy, but oh, so worth it! God’s word is good. Thanks for sharing this, Lara!