Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone
I’m sharing an audio teaching today over at First 5 in our new study of Ezekiel. I told the story of my biggest failure ever at work, when I managed to shut down the internet of an entire university. It was a rough day! But through that failure (and so many others!), God has taught me to trust the One who never fails. I’d love for you to check out the teaching here or download the First 5 app and join us as we continue through Ezekiel!
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I’m sharing today over at First 5 in our new study of Ezekiel. I’d love to have you join us in the First 5 app! Here’s a preview . . .
When I face a task that I don’t feel equipped to tackle, I get frustrated. I reach for the sugar canister and find it lacking the full cup my recipe needs. Or I’m afraid there’s not enough gas left in my tank, literally or figuratively. Maybe you’ve felt that way, wondering if you have what it takes to complete your work at the office or in your home.
In Ezekiel 3, God commissions Ezekiel to speak to his fellow exiles and then guarantees they will not listen. Ezekiel’s difficult assignment prompts him to sit for seven days, overwhelmed by deep distress. (Ezekiel 3:15) But as we continue through this book, we’ll see that Ezekiel isn’t simply an overwhelmed prophet — he’s an obedient prophet who’s been equipped by God for this task. God prepares Ezekiel through the power of His Word, the proper perspective and the presence of His Spirit.
You can read the rest of the teaching or find out more about First 5 over on their website. I hope you’ll check it out!
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I’ve been wrestling lately with a major life decision: Should I go with Alexa or Google for my smart home speaker? I want the most knowledgeable assistant sitting on my kitchen counter so I can ask it to play music, set timers, and tell me a joke. I’ve spent way too much time scouring the internet and trying to decide which system is best.
My quest for the smartest smart speaker is pretty silly and trivial. But we see in Job 38-39 that when it comes to what’s truly important in life, there is One who knows more than our human minds or any computer can fathom. I’ve always thought of this familiar passage as God’s somewhat-snarky way of putting Job in his place: “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding” (Job 38:4).
However, as we read these two chapters, we see a mind-blowing description of God’s knowledge of and rule over all of creation. I’d encourage you to grab your Bible and read Job 38-39. Here are a few highlights:
– God determined the measurements of the earth, and the morning stars sang as He created it. (Job 38:5-7)
– God commands each and every morning. (Job 38:12)
– Each lightning bolt answers to Him as He directs them where to go. (Job 38:22-38)
– God provides food for each animal He has made. (Job 38:35)
– When a mountain goat or a deer gives birth, God knows it. (Job 39:1-4)
– God gives the seas their limits, rules over the weather, created the animals with their instincts, and puts the stars in their places.
He is God, and you are not—this truth is both humbling and deeply comforting. The God who knows every time a mountain goat gives birth is the One who cares for you. Who sent His Son to die for you. Who made you His child and works all things together for your good.
No matter what you face this week, you can trust the powerful, all-knowing God.
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I have a confession to make: I love to tell people what to do. I’m a bossy person, and this character flaw revealed itself early in my childhood. My siblings often told me, “You’re not the boss of me!” Our poor brother had two older sisters telling him what to do, and one day, he snapped, “I don’t need three mommies!”
It’s a natural human tendency to wonder who’s in charge. Some of us also have the strong desire to be the one in charge; others are looking for someone to follow. But we all understand that someone needs to be the boss.
For the last few weeks, we’ve been looking at reasons Jesus came. There are countless other aspects of who He is, many of which we won’t know until we see Him face to face. We’ve seen how He is our Redeemer, our Reconciler, and our Righteous Advocate. Scripture also tells us that Jesus Christ is our Reigning King.
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11)
God the Father has highly exalted the risen Son. His name is above every name, proving there is no one greater. Ephesians 1:21 tells us that God has seated Him “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Paul pulls out every extreme phrase he can find, but the human language can’t adequately describe the supremacy of Christ’s reign.
At Christ’s first coming, only a few knelt in worship—a handful of shepherds and a some traveling kings. The angels sang His praise, but much of the world was silent. As word spread about His birth, the reigning king of His time sought to kill the infant Messiah.
But at His second coming, every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God will be glorified as all creation sees what we know is true today: Jesus reigns.
No matter what you face this week, your Savior is also your Reigning King.
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