Too Generous to Trifle With Us

“’When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love, so I spread my wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and covered your nakedness. Yes I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,’ says the Lord.” (Ezekiel 16:8)

This last Sunday, the Lord reminded me of His goodness. He is too generous to trifle with me. The above verse from Ezekiel is a beautiful picture of God’s relationship with the city of Jerusalem; but last time I read it, I related it to the personal relationship I have with Jesus Christ as a born-again believer. Take the time to read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 16 for yourself. I’ll just touch on the parts that God impressed on me personally:

First of all, verse 4-5 paints a perfect picture of what utter desolation and rejection looks like. I don’t think I’ve seen a better picture anywhere else in the Bible. That image of a baby thrown out in the field, struggling and forgotten in his own blood sends shivers down my spine. That was me. Me before Jesus. The world had promised to satisfy me, take care of me, support me, and give me everything I ever wanted…but in the end I was thrown in a field, struggling in my own guilt and sin all alone.

Oam (the little girl I'm hugging) is half Thai. She's so lovely.

Thank God for the breath-taking redemption and sanctification story that follows in verses 6-14! Just like our God did with Jerusalem, my Jesus chose me, breathed life into me, washed me, fed me, clothed, and adorned me. He wrote His name on me. I will forever be HIS. Everything I am in Him is perfect because of His perfect glory. He even swore oaths, to me... The God of the Universe made promises to ME! Does that not blow your mind? I should be the one initiating and promising everything to Him; after all, I’m the one in rebellion! But yet He starts our relationship by promising Himself to me. Wow.

But then the rest of the chapter is a sad picture of what Jerusalem, or, for our purposes, a life lived in rebellion against God, looks like even after being redeemed and in perfect communion with the Lord. It breaks my heart to even consider, but I’ve “played the harlot” countless times in my heart with my pride, plans, and yep, even relationships with others. One of my greatest downfalls is presumptuous sins- choices in which I factor God out of the situation and make decisions based on my own knowledge. In my pride and attempts to be God, I push Him out of the picture and basically tell Him, “I’ll take it from here, thanks.”

And yet…..even when I don’t keep my promises to the Lord, He always remains faithful to His promises to me. In verse 63 God makes a covenant to provide atonement for all the harlotry Jerusalem committed against Himself. In the end, the Lord still was thinking of Jerusalem and His plan to bring the Father ultimate glory. Despite my downfalls and disobedience, when I return to the loving arms of Jesus, He is so faithful to welcome me back and puts the past completely behind us if and when I repent out of sincerity.

He truly is too generous to trifle with us.

Fourth grader awesomeness...

{To further blow your mind on the amazing mercies of our God, also read Psalms 107.}

“They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way that they might go to the city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” (Psalm 107:4-9)