Devotion 9.1.26

Ezekiel 33

7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul."

God gives us ways to return to him (repent) - from his Word: reading, hearing, devotion in his Word, sharing his Word or having it shared; and, he gives us the salvation from our faith in his Word through his Son Jesus Christ.

Talked to my friend Jerry yesterday. Jerry and I were griping about getting old. I told him, as we chuckled about our maladies, that the title of the game show could be, "What did I say?" based on my texts. My fingers type in anything but what I'm thinking I noted, after he apologized for sending a text with a misspelled word.

My message could be meant to say, "Did you want to go to the game?" but it actually reads, "Dread you fear hall of fame!" I've even had friends reply, "I'm not tracking you," when I rattle off a thought with my fingers and don't proof it.

God is talking to Ezekiel, o son of man, about the message he wants Israel to hear. Failure to speak it will result in the wicked man not repenting from his evil, AND his blood will be on Ezekiel.

How seriously would I take the assignment to share God's Word if I looked at it in that manner? "Failure to follow this word for word results in his blood being on me!"?

Today, Christ is our watchman, and he gives us clear guidance to share his Word to the lost. Do we do so? Do we take the opportunity to speak his truth to this world? Do we hear a lost world as we are in it and pause to say, "I heard.... May I share something with you that has helped me when I have suffered similarly...? It has made a tremendous difference in my life...." Unlike my texts, God's Word is clear. To share his Word to a lost world is what he commands of us (Matthew 28:16 - 20).

Pray with me: God, please help me be aware when I am in the presence of the lost, and give me the Words of Eternal Life. Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Amen.

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.