Restored...Adorned...Rejected

~~~ Ez 16:1-15, 60,63 ~~~ Psalm(Is 12) ~~~Matthew 19: 3-12~~~

Most likely the shorter version from the prophet Ezekiel

will be heard today, but I would encourage you to get the Bible

and read Chapter 16. It is a beautiful poetic writing

reflecting honesty and great love. It describes how the daughter,

Jerusalem, was born.

What is most evident is that the usual birth rituals

were not performed.

The navel cord was not cut,

the ritual washing and anointing were not done.

The child was not even swaddled, but instead

thrown out on the ground.

This child was passed by and told to live in its blood and

grow like a plant in the field.

The child grew and developed, but was stark naked.

In old age God came and used his cloak to cover the child's nakedness.

At this point God entered into a covenant with the child, Jerusalem,

claiming her for his own.

Once God extended his care and his covenant

everything changed.

Jerusalem was transformed into a beautiful princess.

Dressed in the finest of textiles and adorned with fine jewelry.

This transformation by God to an entity of beauty was squandered.

Jerusalem was

"...captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot..."

Everything that had been gifted by God was misused and wasted.

The beauty evolved into a source of corruption.

God gives us gifts free to use.

God gives us gifts with no strings attached.

God gives us gifts to use wisely.

God gives us gifts; it should follow that we want to return

praise back to him in thanksgiving.

Once we break relationship with God he is not required to repair it,

but if we let him he will.

Repairing a broken relationship does not mean that the consequences

of your actions are also erased.

God did just that with Jerusalem...

he restored the relationship, but it was not the same as before.

"I will re-establish my covenant with you,
that you may know that I am the LORD,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD."

Sometimes restoration requires accepting the associated loss too.

All things can be restored by God, but the harm done is just that

harm done.

If a drunk driver accidentally kills someone while driving

nothing will bring that person back to life,

but the driver can be restored

to living a life of sobriety.

"Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth."

Give appropriate credit to the One who is deserving of it, God.

God chose Jerusalem to be his and then God was ignored.

It is not a good practice to ignore God.