S) "1 Then He said to me, 'Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!' 2 As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me."
Ezekiel 2:1-2 (NASB)
O) By the chapter, you can see this was early in Ezekiel's prophetic days. He had just seen, in chapter 1, a confusing, alarming, even terrifying vision. He sees 4 angels, barely describable, whirling around beneath the throne of God Himself, hurling lightning and fire, with scary faces, and loud rumbling voices, etc. To say that he was a little shaken-up would be a given. However, the purposes of God, Ezekiel's mission-call, had no time dawdling. God told him to stand, but clearly he wasn't obeying (yet), because God puts His Spirit within him, and brings him to his feet. Falling on his face hardly made him unique. Most people in the Bible had a similar response to encounters with God or His angels. Often times, there was a following assurance not to fear. In this case, though, God skips all of that to simply put Ezekiel back on his feet.
A) When I first read these verses, I immediately thought of my children. From time to time, when my kids are in front of me, and I begin to tell them any kind of hard news (that it's bedtime, they need to clean something, they are in trouble, we have to leave someone else's house to go home, etc.), they will immediately flop onto the couch/chair/ground. This is not a good response to adversity. I tell my children to stand back up, or else I lift them back to their feet when time is of the essence, until I'm finished and they go to task. So, why is it, that when I sometimes go to my Father God, I flop? Not always physically, but sometimes my heart flops to my spiritual floor (my stomach?). God doesn't want floppers, and in light of verses like Hebrews 4:16 and 1 John 2:28, I have no cause for fear or shame, or flopping. Now, that isn't to say I should be flippant, but those aren't the only options. I should still humble myself (see James 4:6) and possibly even tremble at times (see Philippians 2:12). But, these are not the same as flopping. My salvation is secured, so I should approach the LORD, my Father God, with humility of self and confidence in the gospel.
P) Father, I'm sorry for being floppy. When satan tries to speak lies at me, accusing me, trying to make me flop as I approach You, remind me of all these truths, Father. If need me, let the Holy Spirit stand me up! I want You to speak to me, so if I must stand to hear You, let me stand! Open my ears to hear Your voice, and my eyes to see Your words. I want to be used for Your purposes, Your mission. I stand before You, willing, but let Your will be done. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
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