The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / FORGETTING WHERE YOU COME FROM

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 354 of 365 FORGETTING WHERE YOU COME FROM God's people forgot all that God had done for them. They became proud and arrogant, and God loved them too much to let them remain in that pitiful condition. Sometimes hard words are required to break a hard heart, and that is exactly what God provided here. God's people, living in Jerusalem, had forgotten where they came from. God reminded them of their hopeless past and all that he did for them to bring them to where they were: he had rescued them like an abandoned newborn child, unwashed and left exposed to the elements to die. A baby like that is utterly dependent upon the mercy of another to intervene and save, and God reminded them that he alone had rescued his people and given them life and blessing. Centuries later Jesus spoke harsh words to the self-assured people living in Jerusalem. He warned them against the dangers of taking their right standing with God for granted. Jesus even went as far as to tell the religious leaders that they did not align themselves with God, but Satan (Jn 8:44) - harsh words for hard hearts. Because of their sin, the religious leaders in Jesus' day had once again become like a helpless infant, abandoned and at the mercy of the elements. Believers today also do well to remember God's mercy to them in Jesus' work on the cross. Remembering where they came from and understanding where they are in Christ leads believers to humility and gratitude. Jesus, protect me from the sin of self-assurance. I know that without you, I would be nothing. Amen. Ezekiel 16:1-6 NASB 1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations 3 and say, 'Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem, "Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. 5 No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born. 6 "When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' John 8:44 NASB 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.