The Womb of Promise

Well, there has been relief from the heat as of late. Yesterday was so hot that cups with ice water in them even sweated. Sometimes you can see it drip from the trees. But a "thunderstorm" passed by in the night. The morning sky is dark and the ground is damp. Water runs down our windows like tears from heaven, as fluid as my hopes and dreams.

I'm on our second floor right now and I just drove Barb to work. My engine is beginning to run, fueled by coffee and 8 hours rest. Recently I found myself digging in a book of the Bible that I haven't been to, I haven't searched through in a while--Ezekiel 34. The chapter is broken into four parts: words that God spoke to those who are in leadership of God's people, words that God speaks about himself, words God spoke to his flock, and God's promise of a Future Shepherd, Jesus.

"Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David (one from David's throne), and he will feed them;p he will feed them himself and be their shepherd . . .I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing . .. then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them . . ."

Promises are potent. If met they are the health of life and joy. If broken they are more poisonous than hate.

God is faithful to his word. Jesus is the one shepherd from the line of David. David retaliated toward a lion and a bear because they jacked one of his sheep. How confident we should be that Jesus (who is from the family of the World's Best Shepherd) is the Shepherd of those who have believed in the truth of Jesus' dying on the cross for our sins.

Promises. Dorment hope.

Dorment but not, hmmm......without effect.

Promises . . . like rain from the heavens that is well-timed for the fields.

Promises . . . like obedience to our Lord will not go unnoticed by either our enemy or friend.

Promises . . . like no greater joy is knowing Jesus because Jesus knows best.

Like a sheep that knows protection carries a cane and a slingshot.

Promises . . . like the womb of my wife who is bearing our first child.