For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:7-10.

As we read our chapter, Ezekiel 21, it’s good to remember the verses cited above. All of Scripture is the amazing story of our Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, and His love for us. It’s also the story of us – humanity – because our generation is no different from any generation that came before or will come after us. As I read our chapter, I could see in my mind’s eye the generation of people in this chapter, like a watercolor where the colors are blending together, and being washed away; and we are just as much a part of that as has been every generation of the children of Creator God. Time moves on. Are we willing to walk in faith with God helping us to see, or will we live a stunted half life leached of color and love and hope that robs us of closeness with God, the Creator of color and love and hope? God needed to intervene then and He will need to again, but remember, when we choose to turn to God, His truth is an unveiling that opens our hearts and minds to what is true and genuine and real. And it will not be taken away from us! The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn My sword from its sheath; it will not return again.’ Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every leg will be wet with urine.’ It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.” v. 1-7. Ezekiel was even told to mark out two roads for the king of Babylon. One to Jerusalem and one to Ammon. v. 18-23. And because Ammon, an enemy of Judah, watched what happened to Jerusalem with insults, they too were destroyed, v. 28-32. “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do – because you have done this, you will be taken captive. You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until He to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to Him I will give it.’” v. 24-27.

Do we think we are the only ones to whom God reveals His truth or that God is bound by our limited concept of time to reveal His truth? Do we think we are the only ones who will be saved by God? Can we trust Creator God for His plan in His timing? I loved this in You Are The Beloved by Henri Nouwen: “When we enter into the household of God, we come to realize that the fragmentation of humanity and its agony grow from the false supposition that all human beings have to fight for their right to be appreciated and loved. In the house of God’s love we come to see with new eyes and hear with new ears and thus recognize all people, whatever their race, religion, sex, wealth, intelligence, or background, belong to that same house. God’s house has no dividing walls or closed doors. “I am the door,” Jesus says. “Anyone who enters through Me will be safe” (John 10:9). The more fully we enter into the house of love, the more clearly we see that we are there together with all humanity and that in and through Christ we are brothers and sisters, members of one family.” Remember? It will not be as it was.