Tuesday 8 November

Ezekiel 16:1-63

Crikey.  It’s all a bit graphic isn’t it?  Pools of blood, spreading the corner of my garment over you, engaging in prostitution with lusty neighbours and then being hacked to pieces??  Surely that’s a bit strong for what was just a gentle enquiring of other nations how and when they could assist in the defence of Jerusalem?  But, as ever, Ezekiel pushes me beyond any hint of English reserve and into a realm of vivid actions and powers, fervent emotions and unadulterated consequences.  Ezekiel pushes me into the realm of spiritual reality.  And while some of this realm is bewildering and staggering, what screams most loud is the recklessly abundant love of God for his children.  His desire is to adopt us, his desire is to nurture us, his desire is to care for us and provide for us and wed himself to us and cling himself to us.  He calls us his wife.  He says he bears children by us.  That is inexplicably intimate.  That is inexplicably tender.  And, while this tenderness brings strong emotion and strong rebuke, it also leads him to making atonement for us.  He will re-establish his covenant with us and we will know that He is the Lord.  Jesus was the expression of this surging emotion.  Jesus pulled us back into our husband.

Hebrews 9:1-15

Jesus gave his own blood.  I feel that there is more in that than I have grasped so far.  I feel that I have grossly underestimated the significance of that sacrifice.  He gave his blood to set us free.  To set us free from our own mess.  He offered himself so that we may be cleansed.  There was no possibility of us being free.  There was no option for us to be cleansed.  We were completely and utterly screwed.  And yet he offered his blood to effect for us real, true freedom and real, true cleansing.  And I feel free.  And I feel clean.  I really do.  These are not just words but they are experienced realities that redefine every single moment of life from standing on the tube to tapping keys on my laptop to stuffing my face with a muffin.  Jesus has set me free.  Jesus has cleansed me.  Oh the riches of his love.  Oh the depth of his compassion.  Oh the strength of his arm.  Why would anyone ever turn away from him?  How can anyone really know joy outside of him?  Thank you Jesus for your blood.  Thank you Jesus that you are my High Priest.

Proverbs 27:5-14

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love”.