July 24, 2010 Welcome Home

July 24, 2010
Read Ezekiel 11-12

Ezek 11:16 “Now tell your fellow exiles what I am saying. I am the one who sent them to live in far-off nations and scattered them in other countries. Yet, for the time being I will be present with them in the lands where they have gone.”

I AM thinking of a family who has lived a life far from God. They were ignorant of him. Every aspect of their life was without him.

Then one day God stirred their hearts to seek him. They had no hope. To find hope they turned to the church. The church taught God’s truth to them, showed them God’s great mercy, and God awakened their hearts to turn to him. They understood that if they lived as he told them to live, their lives would have peace. Hope became part of their lives.

In this scripture God comes to Ezekiel, who is living in exile with his people. And God essentially says, “The people have ignored me and are ignorant of me. But get this, Ezekiel. You tell them I AM still with them.

“Yes, I am punishing them, but I am even here in Babylon with them. One day I will invite them to come home. And if they obey me, I will bless them.” God gave his exiled people hope.

If you feel “exiled” from God, guilty for being ignorant of God and ignoring his ways, there is hope for you, too. God has made the way to him plain and true. Turn to the crucified Son of God and repent of your sins. Pray to the Spirit to fill your mind with the knowledge of the Father and your heart with a passion to follow the Son.

And trust the God, who saves, to bless you with his forgiveness and salvation forevermore.

Welcome home.