Be Overcome By God's Presence

Ezekiel 43:1-3 -  Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.  The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.

 

Ezekiel’s vision allowed him to see the glory of God and hear his voice. He used the words radiant to describe his glory…and likened God’s voice to the sound of the rushing water in a river. As his memory recalled another vision he had had like it…he fell to the ground….completely overcome by God’s presence.

 

God wanted him to remember every detail of his tour by the angel.  He wanted him to describe it …to write down every word… so others could be sorry for their sins and come to feel the comfort and strength of God too. God wanted Ezekiel to tell the people how important it was that they put away the idols in their lives and depend on him again.

 

I was drawn to Ezekiel’s description of God’s voice…how it sounded so much like a river. I love the river more than anywhere.  The sound of the water rushing over the rocks has a calming…comforting affect on my whole being. Many of my childhood trips took me to a river…and as soon as I could drive and borrow a car…I would search one out to sit by and talk to God when I was sad...or needed his guidance for a decision.

 

Ezekiel was so touched by the sound that he fell to the ground in awe.....and worshiped God.  Perhaps he was thinking of the comfort and guidance God had given him over the many years of his life. Perhaps the radiant light that shone reflected all the blessings he had been given because he had been so obedient to the voice of God all his life.

 

I am confused more than I am sure of things…but I am sure that Ezekiel felt God’s presence and was overcome by his holiness. All his human strength drained as the spirit he felt filled his soul with love and comfort. It powered him to write the amazing chapters of his life…and how he followed God’s directive to speak judgment and hope to a people who had forgotten how rich life can be with God as your best friend.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that even though we can speak with you anywhere...there are special places that we feel your love and comfort stronger than others. Thank you for the special closeness I feel to you at a river…where your soft rushing water speaks to my soul deeper than any other place. Help me to be more thankful for these special times…and fall to my knees in awe of your presence more often.  Amen.