FAITH CAPSULE: Just a word of God that enters heart is enough to terminate struggle in one’s life.
Ezekiel 3
God spoke to Ezekiel, “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears” (Ezekiel 3:10). Every time we hear the Word of God, our heart ought to work in tandem with our ears to receive the living Word of God. Hearing sound from within an earshot or from a distance may not be the same as listening with the ear and, ultimately, receiving into the heart.
Before God spoke to Ezekiel, He caught his attention by opening the heavens for him to see visions of God (Ezekiel 1:1). It was the visions which Ezekiel saw that enabled him to focus his ears to not just hear but listen wholeheartedly. A similar example was that of Moses when God wanted to speak to him, and he was “busy” taking care of the flock. “Busy” is a common feature of our every-day lives that makes listening and receiving God’s word practically impossible. Moses’ attention was attracted to God’s calling when he saw the bush burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. (Exodus 3:2)
The word or information that passes from one individual to the other is not the same as the word that enters and finds a place in the heart. On every occasion the Word of God enters our ears, it ought to produce like a seed that was planted on the good ground and produced fruits in multi-folds. Any word that is claimed to enter and not produce result should be deemed suspicious since the word did not enter only to arouse emotions.
The evidence of hearing with the ear and received into heart was glaring in the assignment of Ezekiel as documented on the pages of the Bible. Ezekiel testified that when the Lord spoke to him, he heard “a thunderous voice”. Hearing “a thunderous voice” was an indication of hearing with the ear and receiving into the heart. Testimony of Ezekiel is the evidence that when any man hears from God there will be no denial for hearing from God. Ezekiel testified, “…I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!” I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days” (Ezekiel 3:12-15). In this testimony, Ezekiel was changed, and his life was not the same after he heard from God. The word that came to him lifted him up and took him away to the center of God’s assignment where he was relocated for God’s glory.
Prayer for today: Ask for the Word of God to carry you and set you for His glory.