Restored as One People

Covenant with God

Signs of God's Covenant

Spirit Filled Heart

Ezekiel 37:15-24 The Message

15-17 God’s Message came to me: “You, son of man: Take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, with his Israelite companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph—Ephraim’s stick, together with all his Israelite companions.’ Then tie the two sticks together so that you’re holding one stick.
18-19 “When your people ask you, ‘Are you going to tell us what you’re doing?’ Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says, Watch me! I’ll take the Joseph stick that is in Ephraim’s hand, with the tribes of Israel connected with him, and lay the Judah stick on it. I’ll make them into one stick. I’m holding one stick.’
20-24 “Then take the sticks you’ve inscribed and hold them up so the people can see them. Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says, Watch me! I’m taking the Israelites out of the nations in which they’ve been exiled. I’ll gather them in from all directions and bring them back home. I’ll make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and give them one king—one king over all of them. Never again will they be divided into two nations, two kingdoms. Never again will they pollute their lives with their no-god idols and all those vile obscenities and rebellions. I’ll save them out of all their old sinful haunts. I’ll clean them up. They’ll be my people! I’ll be their God! My servant David will be king over them. They’ll all be under one shepherd.

For Reflection

How many sticks can God hold? Some of us tend to hold dear only one stick and claim our stick is the greatest stick that ever was.  No other stick can give greater power and majesty than our stick.

God is not holding that stick!

Pray

Pray for the universal church.  Pray that all of God's people will see that under God we are one.  Pray for the humility that characterizes authentic Christianity.  Pray so that each day you more fully understand what it means to live under God's awesome sovreignty.