Our confidence has to be...
Ezekiel begins with an incredible vision from the Lord and continues by describing his calling as a prophet. Ezekiel comes on the scene well into Jeremiah's ministry. At around 30 years old and having been raised in a priestly family, Ezekiel would have likely known of Jeremiah, perhaps even personally. And considering the opposition Jeremiah faced, the Lord's words to Ezekiel carry even greater weight:
"And He said to me: "Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me, they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day... And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house." Ezekiel 2:3, 6
Briers, thorns, and scorpions! The Lord was preparing Ezekiel for a difficult path, but the difficulties didn't change the calling.
Ezekiel would need to be certain of the Lord's leading. As we continue reading, we'll see his faithfulness through his words and actions. His confidence wasn't in himself, but in the Lord. The same must be true of us!
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
No matter the path, the calling, the opposition, or the difficulties we face, we must not allow them to sway us from our pursuit of Jesus. Our confidence must remain in the Lord!
We cannot have confidence in how people will respond to our walk in Christ or how circumstances unfold. Again I write, our confidence must be in the Lord.
The difficulties may not be in our today, but they could be in our tomorrow. So today, we must ask ourselves: Is our confidence truly in the Lord?
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.