Corona Devo 1856
Do we remember having our temperature taken as a kid? Think back to when we sat on the not-so-cushioned doctor's bench, while our little legs dangled over the side. Our lips pursed in a tight (but not too tight!) grip around a thin stick-of-glass thermometer tucked under our tongue: it was a fairly-quick procedure, but it (nervously) felt as if it lasted forever.
They don't do it like that anymore. Nowadays they point a handheld device at your forehead and it takes a reading, or they roll a little wheel across your head and digital numbers register our 98.6 (or hopefully similar) temperature.
Have we taken our temperature lately?
We should.
But, not our body-temperature: today, the Bible compels us to take our spiritual temperature.
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Have we digressed? Have we gotten off-topic and simmered in our spiritual urgency? The Bible (Ezekiel, Chapter 3) reminds us that faith literally is a matter of life and death. People will die in their sins (Ezekiel 3:18, 20) if they are not introduced to Jesus, because He is the only One that saves us from our sins.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ~John 14:6
And so, where is our urgency? What is our spiritual temperature today? The Lord gave Ezekiel a message, and I believe that the Lord is giving us a message today too.
After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said, (17) “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. (18) If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. (19) If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.
(20) “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. (21) But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”
(22) Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.” (23) So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And I fell face down on the ground. ~Ezekiel 3:16-23
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Take your (spiritual) temperature! It is a matter of life and death. What does it mean (to us right now) to know that God told Ezekiel to share His Truth and Message with people...or else they would die in their sins? And to swell-the-stakes, God also told Ezekiel that if people did die before Ezekiel shared God's message, then God said He would hold (Ezekiel) responsible for their deaths (Ezekiel 3:18).
Is anyone else's temperature rising?
Where is our sense of urgency for sharing the hope of the Lord with Believers and non-Believers? There is no doubt that doing so is absolutely our call and responsibility from God. Remember what Jesus told the disciples after He had been resurrected?
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:18-20
And (let's be honest--because Scripture is): Where is our sense of urgency for sharing the judgement of the Lord with Believers and non-Believers? The Bible reminds us today that there will be hell-to-pay if people are not introduced-to and accepting-of the Truth that Jesus paid our sin-debt.
Do we care?
Take your spiritual temperature: where do we register on the spiritual-intensity-scale?
~~~
My favorite part of Ezekiel's spiritual assignment is what happened to him after he accepted it. After Ezekiel heard God's call on his life...and received it, accepted it, and submitted in his Spirit to it...Ezekiel saw Your glory, Lord.
Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.” (23) So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And I fell face down on the ground. ~Ezekiel 3:22-23
Father, let us hear and accept Your command for us to share with others about Your Word and hope and judgement. Take our spiritual temperature and let it boil for You, Lord! Make us bold in sharing Your Message with others. We want to see Your glory too, Father. Amen.
sarah
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