Eat this, Speak that

In the lineup of scriptures about preaching, Ezekiel 3 is a barn burner! God sends Ezekiel to people who don't want to hear from him, with a message that isn't at all good news. Then in chapters 4 and 5, He goes several steps further by making Ezekiel himself the sermon illustration. When I read it this morning, I found myself hoping Ezekiel was having an excellent Sunday, enjoying his heavenly reward which surely must be HUGE because: laying on one's side for 390 days while shaking your fist and preaching deserves a whole lotta somethin', you know?

While uncomfortable to read, Ezekiel's story has truckloads of truth for present-day preachers. This was my take-home today:

1. We are blessed that we live in an era when the message we have been called to preach is by definition "good news". What joy! I don't want to forget to be thankful that I am not preaching death and destruction and I need to be unapologetic that the good news comes packaged up with some hard truth.
   
2. Some people will still not like hearing the good news - but we preach anyway. Ezekiel 3:11
   
3. It's harder to speak to those who are familiar to us. Ezekiel 3:3
4. Sometimes the battle for confidence in speaking comes down to: who do am I going to fear the most? Ezekiel 3:9
5. In order to be effective communicators of the Word of life, we have to have swallowed what we're selling. Ezekiel 3:1-2

One small, obscure chapter. So much rich instruction for those who want to preach His Word, His way.

Happy Sunday, Ezekiel!

Bo