“Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” Ezekial 22:26
I’ve spent the last few weeks diving into the pages of Ezekiel. This book has been challenging to process but so eye-opening to the truth that God has seen it all, and He is still faithful to complete what He put into motion since the beginning of time. Isn't this incredible? Our good God, knowing all the rebellion that would unfold and the despising of His Son to come, still chose to make a way for us.
As God used Ezekiel to give warning of what was to come and why it was to come, He didn’t spare any detail from them regarding how their punishment would unfold or give the big-picture view of why we are invited into a relationship with Him. He would use these consequences and teachable moments as a way to show that He is LORD over all and that He would use every detail to reveal His glory.
What stood out to me most and convicted me is what God said about the priests in chapter 22 and verse 26: “Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.”
It caused me to ask the question, “What in my life have I traded holiness for common?” Let that sit for a moment. We've all done it. We have traded something God called holy and chosen to be common instead.
We have wanted to resemble the world more than we have wanted to resemble God. We know that we are to be in this world but not like the world. This seems like it shouldn’t be that difficult to do, but when we look at the smallest details of our day (and the big ones), are we choosing to be holy? Are we wanting to be sanctified? Are we making the effort to rid ourselves of unhealthy habits? Do we want to be holy, or do we just want to be common?
While we will never get this perfect, we should desire it. We should want to be like Jesus in thought, word, and deed. I’ll never forget when I met a believer who said, “God knows I struggle with this.” Then they kept living that way with no reverence to what that was doing to God’s heart or the destruction that sin was causing in their life.
So, I addressed their statement but shared that I, too, had struggles. However, I still needed to pursue what God desired for me, which was to walk in righteousness and obedience, not sin. However, I must add here that there are still things and will be things for the rest of my life that God reveals to me that I need to rid my life of.
But in sharing that story, all these years later—ten to be exact—I wish I had known about this portion of Scripture for myself and my friend.
We shouldn’t trade holiness for commonness and comfort. We should seek to make a distinction between our ways and the ways of this world. We should want to be a light in this world. And to be a light, we must live set apart. Seeking to be holy and pure. Living full of conviction and ready to repent when stirred.
What in your life do you feel is common that needs to be taken to the Lord and made holy? Trust Him to do the work in your heart, but then be faithful to follow the Spirit's lead as it convicts and redirects. Know that as the Lord reveals these things in you, it will take work. Hard work. It will take obedience and trusting that God will be faithful to bring you through the conviction, the repentance, and the call to holiness.
Let's pray together:
Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word and the way it directs my heart. Reveal in me the ways that I have traded holy for common. Help me to lean into your grace as I walk in your mercy. I pray to have a heart like Ezekiel, ready and willing to share the faith that you have given me. Lead me, Lord, and I will follow. In Jesus' name, amen.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Priscilla Du Preez
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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Originally published Friday, 22 March 2024.
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