Ezekiel 16

My quiet time started off this morning with a long moment of thankfulness and praise. I was looking upon my children playing on the living room floor - the boys coloring and Juliet rolling around and finding so much joy in her newfound freedom of being able to gather her toys as she desired - and I was struck with so much love and peace in my heart. I was then convicted of how much I take these moments and this time for granted. I have been fueling my inner-thoughts with complaints of being tired or too busy, or too hectic - but realistically I've been allowing my days to not be filled with enough thankfulness.

When I finally got to Ezekiel 16 I was immediately convicted that there have been things in my everyday life that I have allowed to become too important. I have been investing too much time in things that really don't matter and have placed things of importance (my prayer time, quality time with the boys, my husband) at the bottom of my list. Its amazing how God, when your willing, can take you on a journey of self-and end up in a place where you realize your self-misdirects you.

The entirety of Ez 16 calls for a refreshed view of where Jerusalem started, where she placed herself above God & sought fulfillment with everything and anything but God but was never fulfilled. (v28b and still were not satisfied v29b and even then you were not satisfied)

ONLY with God can you find true fulfillment and I in hindsight realize that the past few weeks I havent been that fulfilled. I've been full of my 'self" and thats about it!!

I also realized that everything I have is because of God & that I have not been faithful in using these things to glorify Him - well maybe half-heartedly but not fully.

I then prayerfully considered, "How can I grow in my relationship with God, using the blessings He has given me?"

And I heard in my heart - "ALWAYS have a heart of worship"

The boys at this point have changed their activities to playing a game called Sorry. They were fighting and arguing about how to play. I realized that this was symbolic of how I treat my day - I fight with my flesh & spirit in how to go about my day. I got down from the couch and told them to take a break. I asked them where all of our things come from and Jake answered, "God". I then asked them why God gave us fun things like games - and Jake said, "So we could have fun!". I asked him if God would be happy to hear them fighting and talking mean to one another and they both said "No". So I told them that before I could let them play again that we would have to pray, and be thankful for what God has given us. I realized that if I am faithful in being thankful it will be more difficult to make the "things" about me.

When I sat back on the couch & the boys continued in their game, minus the arguments, I read about how God saved Jerusalem, lifted it up, cleansed it, gave it garmets of silk, and adornments of gold & silver - jewels, crowns - and that Jerusalem's beauty became known all around the world, because of God's gifts & blessings. But Jerusalem took that newfound fame and made it all about itself - and then even took the gifts that God gave it and created its own idols. v16: You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high plalced for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be.

I repented and decided to seek a better routine in my day to constantly be brought back to HIM thru thankfulness & a reminder of how he has rescued & cleansed me. In that place I cannot take credit for any glory or puff myself up with lies of my "self".

After my quiet time I sat with the boys and we recited our weekly memory verse which this week its Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know

How true that verse is & how true He has proven that to me this morning! I feel like 10,000 lbs of weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I again feel organized, free, and at peace.