Chronological Bible: Day 254

Reflecting through this medium was very refreshing... I want to try to start posting a bit more over the things that I am learning through blogging. I hope that as you read this, (whoever you are :) ) it encourages you even if its just a bit. 

Day 254: Chronological Bible Reading Plan
Ezekiel 46-48 (plus previous readings of Ezekiel 40-45)

Before anything, I have to confess that reading these last chapters of Ezekiel were a bit rough for me. (Especially chapters 40-43) Here, God is giving Ezekiel a lot of regulations down to every cubit! And... well, at  first, I was kind of bored. I'm terrible with reading maps of any kind, or looking a floor plans. So, yeah- it was hard for me to visualize what God had in mind for his temple. But I toughed it out, and through it I just kept asking myself and God: "Why is this so important?" I mean, there are many books in the Bible where God is giving VERY specific instructions about what his temple should look like, and the specific uses for all the rooms and things found in there. He is very clear as to who can enter, how they can enter, when they can enter, etc. And all these years it has been very easy for me to dismiss passages like this one with the reasoning that its just an old passage from which I can gain no practical application from. (Yikes!-- it sounds even worse putting these thoughts into words!) So as I read Ezekiel 40-41 yesterday, I kept asking the same question... Why is this so important? Why does God want us to read it now... in 2014??? 

Today, as I sip on my Starbucks H2O and eat my Classic Oatmeal...I open up my Bible (app) and I begin to dread having to read yet more instructions of measurements, rules & regulations. And BAM! God answers my question very clearly in Ezekiel 43: 10-12 & Ezekiel 44: 5-6.

Ezequiel 43

10“Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, 11and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulationsand laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.

12“This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.

Ezequiel 44

5The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.6Say to rebellious Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel!

God's perfection and beauty are reflected in his plans for the temple, and really the plans for His People. Up to this point, the Israelites have ignored everything he has asked of them. And really all that he requires is for their own good. But they have traded HIM for the sake of their own desires. God is using these passages to bring them to a realization of just how far away they are from God's perfect plan. But what I love about this, is that God doesn't just want them to feel bad and stop there. He hopes that as they see their sin, they will repent. He hopes that as they marvel at the beauty he has in store for them, they can be given HOPE for a new tomorrow. He gives them a glimpse to the restoration that awaits them... if they just repent! 

Connecting it to us... to me, sitting here in 2014. Its amazing how specific God is when it comes to how he wants us to follow him & worship him. Jesus'conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4 comes to mind. Sometimes just like this Samaritan woman, we get so caught up in our ideas of what it is or should be to come to Christ. What it is to follow him and how we are to worship him. 

For the longest I relied heavily on the examples that I had seen of people that went to church, what I felt was right or wrong, or what society deemed as acceptable and unacceptable. I never even gave a serious glance into what GOD had to say about what it means to follow him, what he expects from me, and what true worship is to him. But as I sat down and opened the bible seriously and intentionally looking for answers to the questions I had. I found that God has a very specific way that he wants me to follow in order to find HIM, the real HIM. The only place that I can find what pleases God is in the BIBLE. Not in what others, priests, ministers, mentors, parents, friends, or society (not even Christian society) say. But ONLY from the Word of God... Of course I am not saying that people can't help guide you. But, we cannot solely rely on their opinions and rest in peace. We have to DIG in the Bible, and let God speak to us directly.

23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

John 4:23-24

Jesus' response to the Samaritan woman still applies to my life as well as the once dreaded chapters in Ezekiel. In order for me to truly worship God is by worshiping in truth. And where do we find truth? In others? In society? In opinions? NO. In the Bible. It is the only place to find him... but we must obey. Remember, all that he asks of us is for our own good.

XOXO,

Mariana 

Summer Recap & Ezekiel 37

Wow! This summer has truly come & gone! Sooooo many great memories, time spent with friends, birthdays celebrated, and a TON of great news to share! Here are some of the things that happened this summer and for which I am soooo incredibly grateful to God for!!

1. SUPER BIG NEWS & LOTS OF CHANGE COMING TO THE BREAUX HOUSEHOLD!

After the last day of school, I found out I was pregnant!!! It has been an amazing journey so far! Eddie and I are so anxious to meet our little munchkin!! I am just entering the 2nd trimester & everything has been going well! We made the pregnancy public 1 week ago, and we are so encouraged by everyone's love and encouragement. 

2. WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGING! MY BEST FRIEND IS GETTING MARRIED!!!! YAY!!

3. I LAUNCHED MY 1st #instasale ON FB & INSTAGRAM TO COLLECT MONEY FOR SPECIAL MISSION!

I did it! I had been writing, thinking, dreaming, and praying about it... and I went for it. I felt sooooo encouraged by everyone's support! I plan on continuing! God is faithful! 

4. WE WENT TO VISIT OUR FRIENDS IN NEW MEXICO 

5. I AM 60% INTO MY PLAN TO READ THE CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE IN A YEAR! 

Which is really what I wanted to write about today... 

God,

 You have  been so great to me this year... I am so excited to be entering my 29th year of life, the hope of meeting our baby in January, seeing my best friend get married, and continuing to deepen my walk with you. One of the challenges that I am facing is surrendering all these things that are pretty much out of my control, especially when it comes to the baby. The old testament has been such a refreshing way of getting to know you, who you have always been and continue to be. I have learned so much of your character. I once thought that the God you were in the Old Testament was a harsh, unmerciful, cold, and distant God. As I dig into books like Jeremiah & Ezequiel, I am seeing just how wrong I was all along. You are such a LOVING and MERCIFUL GOD! I see your heart and character all throughout my readings. Thank you for showing your true self to me. 

Today, I read Ezekiel 37. A lot of us are probably very familiar with this account. The Valley of Dry Bones. I remember reading this scripture before, and thinking how odd and cryptic it would be to do something like that or even to witness it. But today, in this point of my life I am AMAZED by what happened there... and better yet, God's heart behind it. 

1. Ezekiels Response

I am blown away by Ezekiel's obedience to God throughout this book. But in this chapter his response to God's question in verse 3 really stood out to me. WOW.

He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” 

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

WOW. Sovereign LORD, you alone know... Those words keep resounding in my mind and whispering peace into my heart. I think that if I were Ezekiel, and God asked me that question about the bones... I would have probably answered... "No, they're bones... how can bones live?" But the reality is that I hear God asking me that same question every single day.. maybe not in the literal sense, but... I don't know... kind of like he is constantly asking me "Mariana, do you think I can do this? Do you trust me? Do you trust my heart? My intentions? My power?"

    

 I definitely hear him asking me this question when I think of the baby that is growing inside of me. Every single day I am filled with questions & fears over something I cannot control... I can only eat and rest (and pray). That is about all of the control I have over this pregnancy. I also hear him asking me these questions when I think about going back to work, working with the teen ministry, my marriage, my friendships, my family, and my plans for the future. And what I am trying to get my hear to answer is that Ezekiel responded... "Sovereign LORD, you alone know." Not with the heart of "Well... who knows... maybe you can or maybe you can't." but with a heart full of faith and trust that everything is in HIS HANDS, HIS DOMINION, HIS CONTROL... I want to rest in peace knowing that HE knows what he is doing... his character is trustworthy and perfect in love. When I focus on that, everything seems bearable, doable, a joyful pleasure. 

2.God's Message to His People 

After bringing the bones back to life and giving them breath... I love God's way of relating it back to his people. The Israelis were in a tough situation here. Their state of mind (heart and spirit) is described in verse 11. 

‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 

God was definitely disciplining them... and they had hit rock bottom. Tired, hopeless, cut off... done! But God offers them sooo much hope in verses 12-14. He offers his people a new perspective. He will refresh them, restore them, bring them back. This passage has helped me to see the power that God has... and how he wants to use that power to redeem us. But not only that, but everything he does is for us to SEE HIM.
          Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

     He wants us to TRULY see him. To see who he really is, what he really can do for us. He doesn't want everything to be *perfect* (as we often want), but he wants to SHOW us WHO HE IS. He wants to be known by us and be with us. So, I'm thinking that all that happens, good & bad... he allows hoping that through it all we can see him, know him, and want him. 

Go and read Ezekiel 37... its AH-MAZING!

XOXO,

Mariana