The Crimson Thread of Christmas – Ezekiel

Merry Christmas Dear Reader,

Ezekiel 24:15-18 And the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. Groan silently; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and do not eat the bread of men.” So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded.

I cannot imagine the pain here.  I have lost both love and loved ones.  Once again we see a man providing an image of the suffering servant.  We tend to forget that our prophets have families.  We see only their hard words and outlandish deeds.  Ezekiel is woven into our tapestry as the prophet who did the strange to get our attention.

He goes to extremes to get us to see the Father.  Then in a moment of pain and courage he uses his own loss to exemplify the Father’s own pain at his children’s abandonment of him.

I wonder how often we consider the impact of our sin on a loving God.  I know that I do not ponder this enough.  Whether it is willful disobedience or outright rejection our actions impact the Father.  It is one of the unique aspects of this faith.  As a father I understand these feelings.

The son of man, Ezekiel, suffers to remind us of the suffering current and future of the Son of Man, Jesus.  I must never forget that every moment I fail to follow had an impact.  I must follow.  I must constantly be an example of those recalled from death to show others the purpose of life.  After all, our business in following is turning death in the chance to live. 

Valley of Dry Bones – Michael Card 

Behold a valley filled with bones

Bones on every side

A valley vast, the floor so full

Of bones so very dry

The Lord did ask

Can these bones live?

Might these bones rise once more?

What else was I to say but

You alone can tell, O Lord

A legion now alive

A resurrected army

A living, holy host

Of a people born again

Then prophesy, O son of man

Cry out to this dead hoard

And when they come to life again

They'll know I am the Lord

And as I spoke what I was told

There came a rattling sound

As bone to bone they formed a mass

Of bodies on the ground

Your dead will come alive

Their graves will lie abandoned

And all those dwelling in the dust

Will wake and shout for joy

And then I called upon the winds

Upon these slain to breathe

At once they stood upon their feet

A mighty, vast army

A legion now alive

A resurrected army

A living, holy host

Of a people born again

Your dead will come alive

Their grave will lie abandoned

And all those dwelling in the dust

Will wake and shout for joy

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)