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With The Spirit

October 16th, 2023

Ezekiel 2:1-9

Ezekiel is called to be a prophet. God prepares him with a warning: it will not be an easy task. God does not just call Ezekiel, warn him of the challenges ahead, and then wish him “good luck.” Rather, God takes the time to fill Ezekiel with the strength necessary for the task ahead.

In Ezekiel 2:1, God calls Ezekiel to stand up and then God will speak to him. The very next verse, however, shows that it was in fact the Spirit who raised up Ezekiel! What a beautiful reminder that God has a deep desire to work with humanity to bring about restoration.

There is a quote attributed to Saint Augustine that reads, “Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not.” Ezekiel cannot take on this call to be a prophet without the Spirit of God. However, God will not force the people to hear from Him. Instead, God works with and through Ezekiel to speak.

Author: Cara Shonamon

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