God scolded Israelites for their hypocritical behaviors. Israelites pretended to love God, but they meant the opposite. God exposed them to Ezekiel and said,
“Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.” So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east. And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them” (Ezekiel 8:15-18).
Lesson:
God is too big to be played, and he cannot be fooled. He understands people well, and he knows those who serve him sincerely. He also knows those who give lip service and eye- service. While it is easy for anyone to claim that he/she is a Christian and religious, a good Christian must serve God with all sincerity. A good Christian must not portray a godly appearance and still keep secret sins. A true Christian must not be manipulative; he must neither be obsessive nor possessive of evil. A true Christian must be candid in his/ her approach to all things. Anyone who aims at being a true child of God must faithfully serve God and care for other people also. Jehovah, who knows people who faithfully serve him will surely bless them in this life, and in heaven also!
Prayer:
Dear God, please help me to be a straightforward Christian who does things rightly. Help me to live a straightforward lifestyle before you! Help me to admit my mistakes and take every necessary step of repentance. Please let me serve you well on earth so that I can qualify to receive your benefits in this life, and in heaven also. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.
