DAY 324

HOW DO YOU SPELL “LOVE”?

Ezekiel 14 & 15 and James 2

What do you carry in your heart? I carry my wife, my children, my family, my congregation, and more. I think you can tell by my list that by my answer to the question, “What do I carry in my heart?” I am meaning those things that are of tremendous importance to me…dare I say the answer is “that which I love.” Love is one of those funny words: I love my wife…and I love pizza. I am told that children spell “love” “T-I-M-E.

In chapter 14 and 15 of Ezekiel we see God challenging the people through his prophet with regards to what/whom they are carrying in their hearts. In 14 the phrase “taken idols into their hearts” (v.3/4) grabs my attention. We then read that Jerusalem will not be saved, in vv. 12-23 God makes that clear. Part of the issue is that the people in Jerusalem believe that the city, and therefore by extension they the people, are so important to God that they are somehow beyond reach. Ezekiel, vividly as we have read, is trying to convince them otherwise—not even Noah, Daniel and Job can save them.

And so these “carrying idols in their heart’s” people are doomed. In chapter 15 the metaphor shifts, but the point is the same. The people of God have often been described as a vineyard. The point is that the wood of the vine isn’t of much use—it exists to serve a singular purpose of bearing fruit—good fruit. When it does not the vineyard owner just burns it up as it can serve no other purpose. I have written many times this year that Israel’s purpose (and now ours) is to “bear fruit” or to “shine light”—to let people know of the love of God. We are chosen, not so that we might enjoy some privileged status, we are chosen to lead others to God.

Remarkably, God does not abandon. In 14:5 we read that God is going to “answer” all those who come to Him bearing idols—His answer will be to show how useless idols really are. Now why is God going to “answer?” Certainly God does not need to waste his time. God tells us in the balance of the verse: that I may lay hold of the hearts of the House of Israel. There is it again—hearts. God wants to be in our hearts—God wants us to spend TIME with him.

James 2 is written in a similar vein. In vv. 1-13 we are instructed to not show partiality, but to welcome and witness God’s love to all (that does not mean bless sinful behavior—it means welcome them). Then in vv. 14-25 we get this wonderful teaching about how faith and works are linked—which brings me back to love. If I say I “love someone” but then never spend time, or effort, or energy to show it—then do I really love them, or is it just some thought I have in my head? If I say I have faith, but never spend the time, energy, or effort to live into that faith—do I have it? Might it just be some romantic notion? Worse, if I am not spending time on that which I say I love, then what am I really spending my time on?

In the end the “theory/theology” really is not very hard to understand – love God with all your heart, your mind, your soul, and your strength…not to earn His love—He has already poured that out upon you because He loves you with all His heart, mind, soul and strength—the Cross shows us that love.