Watchman on the Walls…
“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, BUT I WILL HOLD THE WATCHMAN ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS BLOOD.”(33:6) My eyes froze upon these words as I was reading through Ezekiel. I read and reread the that 33rd chapter of this prophetic book. God was telling Ezekiel that he was called to be a voice to warn the people of the upcoming judgement of God. He could either recognized the oncoming disaster and do all in his power to warn the people of its imminence, and thereby be faithful to his God (and free himself of being guilty at their death) or he could keep silent and be accountable for their blood.
Silence.
It comes in the form of “not wanting to offend”. or “just letting them see my different lifestyle”. or “being too busy” or “not knowing how”. or just plain laziness. But, still, it is silence.
IF I believe that “all have fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) that means every person I meet, from the grocery store clerk, to my next door neighbor, to the person sitting next to me on an airplane (and including myself!) – no one meets the standard of a perfect, holy, God who requires holiness of anyone who is to enjoy His presence
IF I believe that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a) then that means every person I meet is bound for hell-complete separation from the LIVING and from the God who is the Giver and Sustainer of Life.
IF I believe that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor.5:21) then there is a glorious hope and escape from the hell we’re headed towards.
IF I believe that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23b) then Jesus is the means by which we gain that escape from hell, the ONLY means and this gift needs to be shared with and received by many.
IF I believe that the “Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost” (Matt. 18:14) then I’ve just found out what God’s will is.
And if I believe all this, I must do everything BUT be silent.
And here in Ezekiel I read a passage that truly causes me to tremble. I can warn people of what God has revealed through the Holy Scriptures and be used to save some, AND free myself of bloodguilt
or
I can be silent and be held accountable for all the people God has placed in my life, or even just in my passing, and I did not bother to make God’s glorious redemption story known to them.
Being a stay-at-home mother of four, AND being removed from my consistent platform in Newark to be able to share this good news, had resulted in silence up to this point. But as my spirit was convicted by this passage, I knew I had to be actively warning, actively proclaiming, actively being “beautiful feet that bring good news” (Rom. 10:15) But I could not engineer these situations and opportunities. I had to ASK for them, and trust that I would RECEIVE. I had to SEEK them out, and trust that God would lead me to FIND them. I had to KNOCK, and believe HE would OPEN THE DOOR.
A trip was upcoming, and airplane rides are the perfect place to start. Someone is sitting next to you, and they’re stuck there until the plane lands. A captive audience for the duration of the flight. OR a Divine Appointment by the One who seeks and saves the lost, and uses fumbling, broken, ill-equipped people to be the mouthpiece. To be the watchman on the wall.
The next few posts will continue these thoughts…and adventures.
