Bitter/Sweets: The Sum Of Our Fears

“I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” {John 21:18-19 NIV}

Be assured that this also applies unto the kind of lives that we are to live in this world. For we are all led down paths that we would not naturally want to go down{1}.

The Prophet Jonah stands as a good example of that. For he certainly did not want to go to Nineveh{2}.

Yes, it could be argued that the wayward prophet brought all of his misery down upon himself by being disobedient; but can the same be said of the Prophet Ezekiel? Be assured that it cannot; and yet: The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover the lower part of your face or eat the customary food of mourners.” So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people asked me, “Won't you tell us what these things have to do with us?” So I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me: Say to the house of Israel, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword. And you will do as I have done. You will not cover the lower part of your face or eat the customary food of mourners. You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of your sins and groan among yourselves. Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”{3}

Special circumstances? I would think so; but if one life is just as important as another unto our Heavenly Father{4}: are we not all living under special circumstances in this world{5}?

No, it is not that I have some sort of a great desire to sully the glory of our Heavenly Father; but many do—albeit unintentionally. For by denying that He has anything to do with this or that: they portray Him to be far less than He absolutely is. Whereas what He has given me to say boldly declares: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.{6}

Alas, is it not time to come out of the darkness of spiritual ignorance{7}. For what good can come from insisting that all of our problems are of our own making when there is absolutely nothing that we can do about them{8}?

No, that is not what most want to hear{9}. For it sounds oh so very noble to take full responsibility for our actions{10}.

Moreover: there could be no self-righteousness without personal responsibility. For when we make that vow to do better: in whom are we really depending upon to make it happen{11}?

[{1}Proverbs 16:33; {2}Jonah 1:1-4:11; {3}Ezekiel 24:15-24 NIV; {4}Ezekiel 18:32; {5}Romans 8:20; {6}Isaiah 45:7 KJV; {7}1 John 1:5-10; {8}Zechariah 4:6; {9}2 Timothy 4:2–4; {10}Proverbs 14:12; {11}Jeremiah 17:5-7]