Speak out

Yesterday I forgot to take my book to work.  Which meant I had to do something else at lunch besides read.  I didn't feel the need to work through lunch again as I so often do.  I looked around my office, then remembered Michael's small Bible I have in my desk drawer for emergencies.   I pulled it out and didn't know what to read, as it doesn't have a concordance.  I have opened to a spot and started reading before, but heard recently that isn't necessarily a good idea.  Often we do that and take the verses we read out of context.  Without a concordance though, I didn't know what else to do.  Surely whatever I read will have meaning for me, right?

So I opened it up.  And God spoke loudly and clearly to me.  I only read a few passages but they were very powerful verses.  Ezekiel 33:7-9

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved."

That passage convicted me so. How many times have I sat back and watched those around me live godless lives and how many times have I remained silent?  I don't live a perfect life and I know I have many sins for which I need to repent.  But my biggest offense is not speaking out to those who need to hear of God's love and Jesus' sacrifice.  I have to do this to let them know.  "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" (Romans 10:14)

I don't plan on preaching, but I hope I can start living my life in such a way that they will see and believe, that they will hear and believe, and that they will just straight up believe.

Thank you for the reminder, God, that I need to be a living example of your love and that I must speak out.