Reflection on the readings for November 2

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I'm still alive.
Let my praise be pleasing to the Lord.
I'm rejoicing in the Lord!
(adapted from Psalm 104:33-34, Common English Bible)

Ezekiel 3:16-6:14
The Lord came to Ezekiel and told him, "If righteous people turn away from righteousness, they will be punished, and it will be your fault if you hadn't warned them not to sin." The Lord assesses the behavior of Jerusalem, "You have rejected my laws and regulations more even than any of the nations around you. Now, I will do what I haven't ever done before or won't ever do again. Your whole country will be destroyed. Any survivors will be scattered."

Hebrews 4:1-16
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews reminds them (and us) that the word of God is living and active. It's not just a book that we can close and put on a shelf and then stack some other books on it as we get through with them. No, the word of God is living and active.

And more than that, it judges our hearts. We're going to have to render an account. And more than that, we can't hide. Let us take the word of God seriously.

But not fearfully. We have a sympathetic, effective Jesus to help us. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalm 104:24-35
Don't fall into the error of modalism--that at different points of history, God appeared in different forms. That is, God was Father during the Old Testament times, then became the visible Son, then at Pentecost became manifest as the Spirit.

Psalm 104  reminds us that God as Spirit was present at creation. Verses 24 through 28 cite examples of what God as created--the earth, ships, Leviathan.

These created things need the Spirit:

When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground (29-30).

Our response to the work that God's Spirit does in our lives is to acknowledge that Spirit.  In the Scriptures and in our lives, we have seen and will see pain and blessings.

Proverbs 26:27
Those who dig a pit will fall in it;
those who roll a stone will have it turn back on them.

Prayer for Today: Pray the closing verses of Psalm 104:

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!