Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.” Ezekiel 3:10-11 (NLT)
It can be slow going reading the Old Testament prophets. The people of Israel and Judah constantly tested God’s patience with their stubbornness and downright disobedience. I’m not sure why they thought that wooden idols could help them more than the God that made them, but they did. And, nothing irritated the LORD of all more than His children worshipping anything but the one true God. He sent many messengers, these prophets, to warn them about their upcoming exile to Babylon, the consequence for their sin. Ezekiel was called by God to tell them one more time, but I was struck by His instructions, “Let all my words sink deep into your own heart first.” No one is exempt from the tyranny and ravages of the enemy, Satan himself. God’s words must permeate every fiber of our being if we are going to be authentic in our speech to motivate change. Otherwise, it will sound like just one more rule and negative prediction, which these people, had already heard and ignored.
But, the part that challenged me, was that Ezekiel was to speak whether they listened or not. When I write a blog post, I have no idea if anyone ever reads it. I may get a comment but more often, I must trust that God will take these words to the person that needs them. Rather than getting discouraged, my job is to be faithful and soak up all that He is telling me. It is His job is to bring the fruit. Are you listening?