Ezekiel 19

Ezekiel 19 is quite a change of pace.  Makes me wonder if Ezekiel was having a bad day or what is up with this chapter.  It begins with “sing the blues”.  He talks about a couple things – lions and vines.  He uses two illustrations to teach his point.  First the lion story is about a “robust young lion” who had earned the fear of all.  “He ate men” which would probably be enough to get my attention.  But in this story, that lion was hunted down and taken away.  A second lion becomes just as powerful and it too is captured and taken to the king of Bablyon with a “wooden collar on him”.  The vine story is about the same – a gian vine that “reached to the clouds” but soon became “shriveled” up and was no more than a stick in the desert.  We can go from power to powerless in an instant.  To me the story is a need to recognize that no matter what our current situation, it can change instantly.  If we think we are on top of the world, and in control or reaching the clouds, look out – change may be coming.  It is only when we walk with God that we can be assured of His hand of power and protection.  Scripture tells us that He is glorified in our weakness and that the strong will become weak.  Sometimes we get caught up in wanting to be in control, to have power and money and influence, but God alone owns those things.  At best He entrusts us with some of it.  Are you a mighty lion or a sturdy vine?  If you are trying to be that on your own, your future is not secure.  It is only when we trust in the Lord and walk in His ways that we can hope to be used by Him.  He alone possesses the universe.  He wants to use us but we need to be plugged into His plan and walking in His way.