20 June 2005 Devotion for Today “Worse than Nothing” Ezekiel 15
I was at the bank trying to fill out a deposit slip. When I reached for the pen secured by a small chain, I found that it would not work. There was another next to it, so I reached for that one as well. Again it would not write. “These pens are good for nothing,” I thought. They had worked at one time, but had exceeded their usefulness and needed to be replaced. But worse than that was the predicament of the woman sitting in the lobby who was trying to get an extension on the loan for her car. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, because the conversation could be heard throughout the entire building, “Well I just can’t pay it and pay the repairs on the car,” she said rather agitated, “Its not only good for nothing, it is worse than nothing!” She had a good point. Having a car which would not run and having to pay for it on credit was worse than not having any vehicle at all.
The prophet Ezekiel describes a similar situation with reference to
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, how is the wood of a vine better than that of a branch on any of the trees in the forest? 3 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? 4 And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? 5 If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred? 6 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in
The prophet describes the relationship
Think of our own relationships? Are they vital to others? Do we enrich them and bless them with God’s love and grace, or do we place a drain on them and sap everything we can from them? I am not speaking of situations where one is physically dependent on others- for that cannot be helped. I am talking about the source of our emotional and spiritual resources. I have met people who take from others whatever they can get- the value of the relationship lasts as long as the willingness on the other party to keep giving. But once those resources are gone- that person moves on to find whatever he or she can find.
God is patient with us, but sooner or later He will not tolerate “sappers” and “suckers” in relationships with Him. God is not so weak and dependent on us that He is co-dependent. He will work change in us and help us to grow, but He will not tolerate a “freeloader.” When we were in our sins there was nothing about us which appealed to Him- nothing about us which He valued in having a relationship with us. But since He has given us a new life in Jesus Christ we now have a purpose. Instead of being worse than nothing, we are great because of the greatness which He gives us in Christ.
Have a blessed day!
No comments:
Post a Comment