Today's Bible Reading: EZEKIEL 20:1-22:16
Ezekiel 20:21
But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.
We all want to have a rich, full and meaningful life. We set a course and hope that it will lead us to the life we are pursuing. We see the success of others and often seek to follow their path. But their way may not lead us where we want to go. Perhaps if we could find a proven plan that would direct us to our destination, we would jump on it.
Well, our text gives us a sure solution to our dilemma. Notice the phrase “by which”. These two profound words aid our quest. They are words of direction and of guidance. They suggest a course of action. They present a path. These two words are a directive that leads us to our desired destination. If we do what is suggested we will find spiritual success.
We are told in this passage that God’s people “rebelled against” Him. The Lord said of them, they “did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules,”, thus they were unable to attain the life that they had hoped to achieve. Their failure to follow the Lord’s principles led to their spiritual fall. But that did not have to be.
Before them was the simply solution to their problem. God says of His guidelines, “if a person does them, he shall live;” Here is the remedy for their rebellion. Compliance with God’s commands will cause the one who spiritual fails to flourish. Life will flow to the spiritually listless.
God wants us to experience life. He wants us to thrive. He wants our relationship with Him to be spiritually alive. He wants our pursuits to be full of life. In order for that to happen he has made know to us the path of life (Ps 16:11).
That path of life is found in a growing, vibrant, and dynamic relationship with Jesus. The Word of God points us to Jesus “the Word.” (John 1:1). The whole of the law and the prophets predict and point to Jesus. Jesus told a group of knowledgeable religious leaders, “You search the Scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me.” He is fulfillment of the law and the prophets (Matt 5:17). He is the path to life. Those who are in Christ delight in the law of God and desire to walk in His statues. They seek to obey His rules. What we had not desired to do, we now delight in doing. Whereas we only wanted to please ourselves, now we only want to please Him. When we sought satisfaction in worldly pursuits, we now are satisfied in our Savior alone.
Jesus leads us to love His law and live according to it. In Him we have life. Is through a relationship with Jesus “by which” we can fulfill the law and flourish in our faith. As He himself said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). He enables us and empowers us to live.
Today thank God that it is through our relationship with Jesus “by which” we live. Thank Him that our hope of faithfully and fully obeying God’s principles is only through our relationship with Christ. Ask the Lord to help you delight in His Law and desire daily by the power of His Spirit to live according to it.
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