Could You Ever?

S-Wholehearted Obedience

S-"The next morning I did everything I had been told to do." Ezekiel 24:18

A-Complete Obedience

L-A True Definition

Think of the person that is your dearest treasure.
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.
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Do you have them in your mind now?

Now imagine God telling you this about them.

"Son of man, I am going to take away your dearest treasure. Suddenly she will die. Yet you must not show any sorrow. Do not weep; let there be no tears. You may sigh but only quietly. Let there be no wailing @ her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the rituals of mourning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends." Ezekiel 24:16-17

Can you even imagine?

Me either.

To be honest brethren, when I was reading this story about Ezekiel, my heart broke. How? How did Ezekiel do it?

He did it because his devotion and love for God was so much greater. sigh

Only, by the power of the Holy Spirit could we ever be able to do what he did.

His heart had to be so broken, right? I mean he was human.

But instead of mourning like we do, he did the opposite.

"So I proclaimed this to the people the next morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did everything I had been told to do." Ezekiel 24:18

Brethren, this man of God, obeyed the Lord completely and wholeheartedly, even in the midst of heartache.

I want to get to this point!

I want to be completely and wholeheartedly obedient and devoted to Christ...

Even when it hurts
Even when I don't feel like it
Even when it goes unnoticed
Even when its so hard I want to quit
Even when it is foreign
Even when it is uncomfortable
Even when it leaves me standing alone and apart from others
Even when it feels awkward
Even when it is so far from what I could ever do or imagine

I want to be obedient!

God had a purpose and reason for asking this of Ezekiel, and it was because of the sinfulness of Jerusalem. He was setting the example for the people of Israel, whom would soon have to follow it, when God destroyed Jerusalem.

Be obedient to the Lord at all times, for you never know when God might be using you. And always remember, if He asks it of you, He will give you the strength, courage, and help to do it.