Why Not Now?Sample

Faith on Display

Let’s not avoid the awkward. We lift our hands in worship as a sign of surrender. We audibly sing and pray because God gave us a voice. But I want you to think of yourself Monday to Friday. Because that’s where it counts, right? That’s where the world is. That’s where you meet them. And that’s where there’s going to be awkward stretches.

Maybe you feel God say, Hey, I want you praying. Hey, start that conversation. At home, in front of your family, lead in prayer. Think—what have I labelled as weird? Not for me. Because that is where God is challenging and stretching us.

Ezekiel is one of the prophets alive during the time of Israel’s downfall. The Kingdom under David had split—Israel and Judah. About 100 years prior, Israel was conquered by the Assyrians. Now Judah had been led into exile by the Babylonians. Ezekiel’s job was to say, “God is not giving up.”

But God made it pretty fun for Zeke. Wheels within wheels, angels with the faces of lions, and a million eyes. God made him write the sins of Judah on a scroll—and eat it. He had to lie on his side for 430 days. God commanded Ezekiel to cook food over human feces, then graciously let him use cow feces instead.

But Ezekiel is known for a vision—a valley of dry bones. God leads him there. He says, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel says, “Only you know.” God says, “Speak a prophetic message.” So Ezekiel obeys. Bones come together.