Ezekiel 33:7-11 (NRSV)
Read Ezekiel 33:7-11 on biblegateway.com
Verse 7So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. Verse 8If I say to the wicked, "O wicked ones, you shall surely die," and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. Verse 9But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
Verse 10Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: "Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?" Verse 11Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
Devotion
Less than a block away from our house there is a tornado siren. The siren is regularly tested to make sure it is working properly, and that area residents can hear it from their homes. Especially this time of year, those in our neighborhood rely on the siren to warn us if there is an approaching tornado or reason to take cover.
When God's call came to Ezekiel, the call was to be a sentinel to the house of Israel. Like a tornado siren, Ezekiel was to warn the Israelite people of approaching danger. He was to warn them of their sin and need for repentance. However, rather than tell the people to take cover, what Ezekiel was called to do was tell the Israelites to turn from their sin to God, for it is in God that we find refuge and through God that we receive the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
God of mercy and love, give us the strength today to turn from our ways of sin and death and to seek your ways of life and peace instead. In Jesus' name, Amen.