A PLEASING ODOR . . . Smells good!

“As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered.” (Ezekiel 20:41a from Ezekiel 20:33-44)

When we moved into our apartment, we were the proud inheritors of the former tenants flower and bush planting habits. The only thing that would make it more perfect would be a lilac tree. Sigh! One of the flower bushes blooming out in my backyard smells so good! It is some sort of rose, but does not smell like any rose I know of.

Even though I do not the precise name of this flower, I would know a recognize the fragrance of it anywhere. I am hoping some day to find out the name, but until then I just enjoy tremendously it being in my garden.

Fortunately God knows each of us by name, and according to this verse finds our Christian “odor” very pleasing. Perhaps even more pleasing than this flower in my backyard – but somehow I doubt that. But just as pleasing I am sure! Thinking about it, I do hope I am as pleasing to God as this flower.

And I like thinking about God gathering the Lord’s people as a gardener gathers up flowers. Maybe we will be transplanted to somewhere else where our bloom and fragrance is needed. Maybe we need to be pruned in order to grow better, or fertilized in order to grow stronger. Or maybe it is time for us to be “plucked” and arranged in a heavenly bouquet. We do not know what plans God has, but if we are assured our fragrance is pleasing to God, we can rest with ease that God will care and tend to us.

May you gentle reader be a pleasing fragrance to our Lord, and may you bloom in peace where you are planted, tended to by the Divine Gardener. Selah! And shalom for your day.

 

Living Lawful and Right . . . It is a choice

“If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right . . . if he . . . does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge . . . such a one is righteous; he shall surely live . . .” (Ezekiel 18:5, 7a, 9b-c from Ezekiel 18:1-32 )

The parts in-between portions listed give a much more complete picture of this righteous person. I encourage you to read it in its entirety, verse 5 through 9. It concerns – of course – right relationships, justice, and shalom. I am coming to think of these three things as a solid foundation for living a good Christian life. You, gentle reader, may be getting tired of these three traits being emphasized day after day. And I admit at times I too wish for different blogging fodder. But eventually, even without the verses alluding to it as specifically as it is here, it comes back to treating people well, doing what is right, and living in peace and harmony.

But these verses from Ezekiel do misstate one aspect – the person (man or woman) who does NOT conduct him or herself this way will also live . . . a human life as long as health and circumstances permit. But one has to ask what kind of life? And what about the life to come? Granted, as person who lives contrary to these principles may only be concerned with living a comfortable and easy life, and may not be concerned about what happens to others as a consequence of the way they live. And they may not much care about the life to come, but rather invest and focus on this earthly life, and the comforts they can find.

If we look further, beyond these collections of verses in the first part of Ezekiel 18 we hear the voice of God through the writer of Ezekiel explaining that no longer does the son (or daughter) have to suffer because of the sin of the parents (actually it says “father”, but I am very inclusive.) It had been amongst the Israelites that if the father (think parents) was a sinful or unrighteous person, those offspring would also suffer. But God says that is no longer so: “ . . . a son who sees all the sins that his father has done, considers, and does not do likewise . . . . he shall surely live.” (verses 14 to 17 condensed) So shall it be for a parent and a child; God says, “. . . the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own.” (verse 20b)

What will your choice be gentle reader? Each of us is free to make what choices we want, but each of us individually will be held accountable for that choice. Chose carefully. Shalom for your day!

CEDAR ON ISRAEL – Starting small to grow big

“On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it [a sprig of cedar), in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar.” (Ezekiel 17:23a from Ezekiel 17:22-24 )

Here is my chance to speak in positive terms. So often it seems we as readers of these passages have been scolded and exhorted to do better in living our lives and walking with God. But here we can image ourselves as small sprigs planted in this world with the hope that we will grow big and “bear fruit.”

That is not to say it is easy to start out small and become big. And we certainly need God’s help to grow; our Lord provides the sun, rain and nutrients we need. But with time and our patience coupled with God’s plan we can grow to amazing proportions. And we are not alone. There are others around us who are planted and are growing also. In the company of others we grow to maturity, making calm and cool places of peace.

May you gentle reader grow in the company of others growing great boughs and producing the fruits of the spirit. Selah! And shalom for your day.

MISLED MY PEOPLE . . . Making them think the government can bring them peace

“Because, in truth, because they have misled my people, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace . . . . . Therefore thus says the Lord God: In my wrath I will make a stormy wind break out . . .” (Ezekiel 13:10a, 13 from Ezekiel 13:1-23 )

I have said this many times gentle reader, but here I go again . . . . on the day I wrote this . . . .

The news is continuing to cover the revelation that various branch’s of the government have been using court orders gather information through technology services and using it as they see fit. There has for many years the supposedly “paranoid” notion that the US government is spying on its citizens – turns out that is not so far from wrong. The caveat is that they have only been using it to gain information on non-US citizens (of which yours truly is one) as if that excuses the behavior. It goes right against offering hospitality to the stranger – or worse yet, offering hospitality and then using that against the “other” to gather information and conduct covert surveillance.

What, you may ask, does this have to do with these verses from Ezekiel? Simply this. The government tries set up and maintain the illusion that all of their efforts to keep the country secure and protect all of its citizens; so why do they need to secretly spy on people The government tells us that this is for “our” protection, this peeking into our electronic and cyber records. But who will protect us from them? It reminds me of the prophets that Ezekiel talks about who claimed that the nations around them only want peace, and that peace will come. In other words, rather than relying on God for peace, they rely on their own political measures. Sound familiar?

You know gentle reader, I used to say kiddingly that if the government ever read what I wrote, I might get into trouble. Well, that may be less of an improbability than before. I do not know if as an alien resident my cyber-activity is being monitored. I kind of doubt it is. But no longer am I one hundred percent sure. And I have a feeling this backlash against these revelations has not reached its peak yet. In the coming days it may very well seem like a storm has broken loose.

Interesting days to come. May you gentle reader place your hope and faith in the only entity who can promise real peace. Shalom for your day . . . . from your favorite outspoken “foreigner.”

ALL WHO REMAIN? How exact . . . and exacting . . . does this mean?

“While they were killing, and I was left alone, I fell prostrate on my face and cried out, “Ah, Lord God! Will you destroy all who remain of Israel as you pour out your wrath upon Jerusalem?” (Ezekiel 9:8 from Ezekiel 9:1-11 )

Ezekiel is having visions. They seemed to him as if they were real – or at least real enough to the writer of Ezekiel to write of them as if they were real actions of real people. And real enough for Ezekiel/the writer of Ezekiel to fall on his/her face and lament the actions that he heard God commanding.

But I have to wonder . . . . did God really send out “six men . . . each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand”? (Verse 2) And were their instructions “kill . . . . you shall show no pity. Cut down old men, young men and young women, little children and women”(verse 5b & 6a) sparing only those “who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it [the city]”? (Verse 4b) I do not know gentle reader.

I am heard pressed to understand how little children could understand enough to lament what was being done in Jerusalem. And once that tiny bit of doubt creeps in, you might remember other prophets who have talked about God’s mercy towards the people of Jerusalem. And God’s promise to save the people and restore them. And then, being more curious, you may try to learn more about Ezekiel and the period of time he was prophesying in.

I discovered that Ezekiel’s vision was a metaphor for what was happening and would happen to Jerusalem. No, God did not send out 6 crazed ax men. But there were many things happening in Jerusalem that were contrary to the worship of God, and many people suffered and died when Jerusalem fell to her enemies – time and time again.

If God was a “vengeful” God because of the abominations, God worked through the politics of the time and the actions of other nations. I am not convinced though that God was the “author” of those other nations, any more than I believe God is the “author” of what is going on in our world now. It is more likely, gentle reader, that God is weeping over all of it. From the 6 century BC (the time of Ezekiel) to present day. I tell you gentle reader, trust more in the compassion and forgiveness of God that you know than the harsh prophecies that you read in the Old Testament.

And remember, that humanity has always created for itself (since the Garden of Eden) the environment that it lives in. If there is pain, suffering, and killing it is because our culture if rife with it. We exact upon ourselves the vengeance that we ascribe to God. God is all for right relationships, justice, and shalom.

May you gentle reader seek visions that bring the hope of shalom through right relationships and justice. Selah!

And may I add, Happy Father’s Day to all that it pertains to! May you in relationships with others emulate the compassion and caring of our Holy Parent!

THEY WILL SEEK PEACE . . . . But find nothing

“For the land is full of bloody crimes; the city is full of violence . . . . When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there shall be none.” (Ezekiel 7:23b, 25 from Ezekiel 7:1-27 )

I am reminded of a song from my adolescence. I doubt I could find the words or the tune on the internet. And even if I could, I could not attach it to this column. As were many songs in the middle and late 1970′s (aren’t I showing my age!) it was a story song. I think perhaps if I focus well I could even write the song out my memory.

“Listen children to a story,
That was written long ago.
Bout a people on a mountain,
And the valley folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure . . . “

And about there my memory falls. But I remember the story. The people on the mountain and the people in the valley both wanted the treasure, but neither group would share. Now in the song, it is never really exactly what the treasure is. But each group is committed to have the treasure themselves and fight to the death for their right to it. And indeed in the song they do fight to the death. The people in the valley are victorious over the mountain people, killing most if not all of them.

And when the treasure is unearthed it turns out to be simply writing beneath the stone saying, “Peace on earth.” As an adolescent I imagined that scene in my mind, horses stomping the feet with the reins jingling slightly. Flags and banners gently waving in the wind. Armored knights with helmets removed and stained with blood from both sides. They are looking down at the earth realizing all they have killed and sacrificed is something they already had but have now effectively destroyed.

While not the sole reason, that song and that visual image has focused and fueled my desire for peace. That violence, for whatever reason, never achieves any worthwhile goals. That the cost of war is too great to ever think about entering into. And that the best and highest dreams of humanity can be best achieved when everyone works together. I could say more, much more, but it would be more of the same. I have found as I have grown older I am more staunchly in favor of peace. I think part of that is because I have realized that whatever grudges I have held on to and whatever anger I have felt towards another person – that has never gotten me anything, or helped achieve what I wanted and needed. In fact, it has more often clouded the issues and made my life more difficult.

There may be many treasures in this world, and some may think they are worth fighting for. But whatever treasures in this life you have to earn and win by aggression and violence, whether it be the brute strength of a raised angry fist or the military might, will just crumble in that clinched fist anyway.

So . . . I went looking on the internet, and I did find the song. It is called “One Tin Soldier” and was used in the movie “Billy Jack”. I know little if anything about the movie or the writers (Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter) of the performers ( The Original Caste, 1970, and Jinx Dawson and Coven in the movie “Billy Jack”, 1971). At the time I was introduced to it I did not pay much attention to such things. But the fact that it stayed with me for over 40 years says a great deal. I’m not going to spell out the connections between the verses from Ezekiel 7 and this song, but will let you ponder on that. Let me simply say, that when you go to find peace I hope and pray that you will find it. Shalom for your day!

One Tin Soldier

Listen children to a story,
That was written long ago.
Bout a people on a mountain,
And the valley folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure . . . “

Buried deep beneath a stone
And the valley-people swore
They’d have it for their very own.

[chorus]
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after….
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they’d kill.

Came an answer from the kingdom,
“With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there.”

[chorus]

Now the valley cried with anger,
“Mount your horses! Draw your sword!”
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it…
“Peace on Earth” was all it said.

[chorus x2]

STEADFAST LOVE – It is always there

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”(Lamentations 3:22-23 from Lamentations 3:1-41 )

It has been hot the last few days where I live – even if I am writing ahead, it will probably STILL be hot around here when you read this. I don’t do hot well. Warmish I can take. Cool-ish is great. But hot? Not so much.

But the heat of these summer days reminds me of God’s love. It is all around you and just streaming through you. It comes in waves and never gives up, and that longer you stand in it the more the heat builds up inside of you until you are ready to burst! Thank goodness (and thank God) the heat of God’s love is not harmful. God’s love is never just warmish, and never cools. It stays at the same temperature and just bakes through you – in some cases it burns away all other effects and impurities until you yourself are radiating God’s love. I love my air conditioning for the weather, but I need the heat of God’s love to keep me going every day.

May you gentle reader be “baked” in God’s love until you are ready and able to share that love with the world and all creation. Selah! And shalom for your day!