Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

Ezekiel 1:1–2:1 (NRSV)

In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was on him there.

As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. 5 In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle; such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. In the middle of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire. The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.

As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl; and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved. Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads. Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another; and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings.

And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form. Upward from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all around; and downward from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendor all around. Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.

He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.

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Reflect

I’ve been taking classes at Memphis Theological Seminary for several years, primarily focusing on Christian Education for children and youth. I have learned so much during my time there, and I almost hate to see it end this May, when I will finally graduate.

One of things I have learned in the education classes is to be with people where they are. This doesn’t necessarily mean the physical location as much as it means taking into account cultures, gender, neighborhoods, interests of the people involved, and sometimes actual location.

Meet people where they are. God came to Ezekiel in a way in with which Ezekiel would be able to understand and identify—a human form, sitting on a throne. As a human, Ezekiel would have thought of God as a might ruler. Therefore, he could relate to the way in which God came to him.

When we share the gospel with people, whether it is by preaching, teaching, or conversing, we should always consider the lives and experiences of the people we are trying to reach. A student in one of my classes said he saw a couple of teenage boys shooting hoops at back of his church’s parking lot. When they saw him watching, they ran off. The next few times he saw them, he waved and went inside the church. The following week, he approached them and asked if they wanted to play a game with him. They became friends and soon other kids started coming around to play basketball at the church. This started a thriving ministry at the church all because he met those boys where they were.

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Pray

Almighty God, we have so much to share about you and still, so much more to learn. Open our hearts to hear your voice so that we may hide your words there. Open our minds so that we can expand our knowledge of you to share your words with others. Open our lives to the possibilities given to us freely by your love and mercy, so that we may share that love and mercy with other people. Amen.

Go with God.