God's Assignments...

Ezekiel was a man called by God for a difficult task: He sent him to Israel with a message of doom for Israel who had turned their backs on God.

Then He said, "Son of man, go to the people of Israel with my messages, I am not sending you to some foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! I am sending you to the people of Israel, but they won't listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn. But look, I have made you as hard and stubborn as they are. I have made you as hard as rock! So don't be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are such rebels. (Ezekiel 3:4-9)

It sure seems like God knew what He was doing when He sent Ezekiel to Israel. This is not an impersonal God speaking here. This is a God who is deeply involved with His people, one who is hurt deeply when His people turn their backs on Him. He is also a God who knows His creation. (One would hope that the Creator would know His created!) Just as He knew the people of Israel, He knew that He made Ezekiel just as stubborn as the nation of Israel. In fact, God made Him almost similar to the people of Israel:

Then He added, "Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, 'This is what the sovereign Lord says!' Do this whether they listen to you or not". (Ezekiel 3:10-11)

Ezekiel had to know what God was saying and allow His words to change Him before he took the message to the people because he was as much of a sinner as the rest of Israel. After he allowed the Word of God to sink into his heart, then he was to bring it to the people, whether they listened or not. (And judging from the rest of the story, not many did). This suggests a much different picture of success than what our world thinks. How many people would like to carry out an assignment in which the message and the messenger is rejected? And in fact, Ezekiel says, "The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and turmoil, but the Lord's hold on me was strong." (Ezekiel 3:14)

Ezekiel was one in a long line of prophets who did what God asked, despite not being happy about it and not seeing success. They didn't win many converts; in fact, they were widely reviled. Some were killed. But the Lord's hold on them was so strong that they were able to carry out the work He had for them. They were successful because they obeyed. That's the measure of success for a Christian: are we obedient? This is the only source of joy. Obedience may not bring happiness, but it will bring us joy in the long run.