“And you shall know that I Am the Lord when I have opened your graves, O My People, and have brought you up out of your graves and shall put My Spirit in you and you shall live and I shall place you in your own land. Then shall you know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it, says the Lord.”
Ezekiel 37:13-14
There’s only one Reason He does what He does and why we should do what we do.
“And you shall know that I Am the Lord.”
Why did the Lord God create us in our mother’s womb? Why did He make us unique and give us special gifts, abilities and talents? Why has He blessed us with material and spiritual blessings?
Simply for one reason:
To worship Him and know that “He is the Lord God.”
That was the first of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:2). That’s why He instructed the Israelites to declare in the Shema, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Dt. 6:4) and to “love Him with all their heart, soul and mind, teaching their children to diligently keep each one of His commands” (Dt. 6:5-9). That’s also why the Apostle Paul’s “Magnificent Obsession” in life was “to know Him” (Phil. 3:10a).
So much of our worship is man-centered.
So much of our preaching is little more than self-help, spiritualized psychology.
So much of our praying is powerless because it’s filled with OUR needs. . .OUR wants. . . OUR petty problems. . .not worship of “Who He is” and thanksgiving for what He has done.
Twelve different times in His message to Ezekiel in 37:1-14 the Lord God told what He would do: “I will cause breath to enter into you. . .I will lay sinews upon you and bring flesh upon you. . .and I will cover you with skin and put breath in you. . .and I will open your graves and cause you to come out of them. . .and I will bring you into the land of Israel. . .and I will put My Spirit in you and you shall live.”
And, why did He do that? So, they would know “I Am the Lord” (v.6c).
That’s why Paul said “I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST Who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). He knew he was nothing apart from Christ’s Presence and Power (Phil. 3:3-14). And, neither are we.
Oh, dear Pilgrim, we must be desperate for Him if we are to see Him move. We must cry “O Lord, I thirst for you as the deer that pants after the water-brooks. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me—and then help me to humble myself, pray, seek Your Face and turn from my wicked ways so I can know that You are the Lord and allow You to work in/through me as You see fit.”
Is this your prayer today?
If so, the Lord is pleased. And, soon, the “Promise of the Father” will come (Acts 1:4-5) and His Spirit will come in power. Let it be today, dear Lord. Let it be today.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated February 8, 2010
