Year 6, Day 128: Ezekiel 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Calling, Obedience

• Calling asks whether or not God has called the person to the particular work at this point in their life.
• Obedience: Genuine and satisfying obedience comes out of our identity.  Our true identity comes only from our Father.

Ezekiel 2 is such an incredibly powerful chapter when we consider spiritual leadership.  First, look where it begins.  God tells Ezekiel to get up.  As I say in my theological commentary from three years ago, God is the one who decides who can stand in His presence.  Our default position is humbleness as we bow before Him.  He tells us to get up.  Furthermore, notice that it is God who enables Ezekiel to stand up.  God’s spirit enters into Ezekiel and stands him up.

After God sets Ezekiel on his feet, God calls him to a task.  This is important, too.  How many of us decide for ourselves what God is calling us to do?  We sit down and decide what we are good at and we determine that God must want us to do it, too.  It shouldn’t be that way.  God establishes us in His presence; God calls us to a task.  Our job is to patiently listen to God’s calling.  Far too often God’s people – and God’s leaders especially – jump too quickly to the task rather than to consider if God is calling us or we are calling ourselves because we want the recognition, praise, or glory.

Third, notice that God calls Ezekiel to a hard task.  God tells Ezekiel that the people are rebellious and won’t be quick to listen.  In fact, God hints that his task may not even be what Ezekiel would call successful.  This is why calling and obedience are so important to bring together.  God’s definition of success is different than our definition of success.  We are successful when we are obedient in our calling.  Even if the task does not bear the fruit we desire, we are successful when we are obedient to our calling.

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