Ezekiel 1:10-14: a reflection

10As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle. 11Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. 12Each one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went. 13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire. 14The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

In Ezekiel's vision of the living creatures around God's glory, one detail speaks to how we are to live: wherever the Spirit was to go, they went, straight forward, not turning aside. Each one went straight forward, the vision says; where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn't turn when they went. The living creatures moved in perfect responsiveness to the Spirit: wherever the Spirit directed, they went, and they went straight forward, not turning aside, not deviating from the direction the Spirit set. Their movement was governed wholly by the Spirit's leading, going where he directed, straight and undeviating. This shows going where the Spirit leads, straight forward, not turning aside. Go where the Spirit leads, straight forward, not turning aside. Let the Spirit direct your way, and follow without deviating. Move in responsiveness to the Spirit's leading. Follow the Spirit's direction straight, not turning aside.

Notice the picture of the living creatures' movement. Wherever the Spirit was to go, they went; their movement was governed wholly by the Spirit's leading. And they went straight forward, not turning aside, not deviating from the direction the Spirit set, but going straight where he led them. This is a picture of a life fully responsive to the Spirit of God: going where he directs, following his leading, moving straight in the direction he sets without turning aside. This holds a pattern for how we are to live. We are called to be responsive to God's Spirit, to go where he leads, to follow his direction; and to go straight forward in it, not turning aside, not deviating, not being pulled off course. Too often our course is governed by our own will, by the pull of circumstances or desires, and we turn this way and that, deviating from the direction God sets. But the living creatures show a better way: to be governed by the Spirit's leading, going where he directs, and going straight, not turning aside. To live responsive to the Spirit, following his leading straight forward without deviating, is to live as we are meant to. We do well to be responsive to God's Spirit, going where he leads and following his direction straight, not turning aside. Go where the Spirit leads, straight forward, not turning aside. Let the Spirit direct your course, and follow without deviating. Be responsive to the Spirit's leading, not governed by your own will. Follow God's direction straight, not pulled off course.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are to be responsive to God's Spirit, going where he leads and following his direction straight, not turning aside, as the living creatures went wherever the Spirit directed, straight forward. Our course can be governed by our own will and pulled off course by circumstances and desires, turning this way and that; but the living creatures went where the Spirit directed, straight forward, not turning aside. Follow the Spirit's leading. Do not let your own will or the pull of circumstances turn you aside; be responsive to God's Spirit, going where he leads and following his direction straight. Be responsive to God's Spirit, going where he leads and following his direction straight forward without turning aside, as in Ezekiel's vision of the living creatures around God's glory one detail speaks to how we are to live, that wherever the Spirit was to go they went, straight forward, not turning aside; for the living creatures moved in perfect responsiveness to the Spirit, going wherever the Spirit directed and going straight forward, not deviating from the direction the Spirit set, their movement governed wholly by the Spirit's leading, which is a picture of a life fully responsive to the Spirit of God, going where he directs and following his leading straight in the direction he sets without turning aside, and this holds a pattern for how we are to live, since we are called to be responsive to God's Spirit, to go where he leads and follow his direction, and to go straight forward in it without being pulled off course, whereas too often our course is governed by our own will and the pull of circumstances or desires so that we turn this way and that, deviating from the direction God sets, but the living creatures show a better way, to be governed by the Spirit's leading, going where he directs and going straight without turning aside, so that to live responsive to the Spirit, following his leading straight forward without deviating, is to live as we are meant to, and we do well to be responsive to God's Spirit.

Lord, in Ezekiel's vision of the living creatures around your glory, one detail speaks to how I am to live: wherever the Spirit was to go, they went, straight forward, not turning aside. Each one went straight forward, the vision says; where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn't turn when they went. The living creatures moved in perfect responsiveness to your Spirit: wherever the Spirit directed, they went, and they went straight forward, not turning aside, not deviating from the direction the Spirit set. Their movement was governed wholly by the Spirit's leading, going where he directed, straight and undeviating. Show me the picture of the living creatures' movement. Wherever the Spirit was to go, they went; their movement was governed wholly by the Spirit's leading. And they went straight forward, not turning aside, not deviating from the direction the Spirit set. This is a picture of a life fully responsive to your Spirit: going where he directs, following his leading, moving straight in the direction he sets without turning aside. This holds a pattern for how I am to live. I am called to be responsive to your Spirit, to go where he leads, to follow his direction; and to go straight forward in it, not turning aside, not being pulled off course. Too often my course is governed by my own will, by the pull of circumstances or desires, and I turn this way and that, deviating from the direction you set. But the living creatures show a better way: to be governed by the Spirit's leading, going where he directs, and going straight, not turning aside. Take that to my heart, for I am to go where your Spirit leads, straight forward, not turning aside. Keep me from letting my own will or the pull of circumstances turn me aside; help me be responsive to your Spirit, Lord, going where he leads and following his direction straight forward without deviating, that I may live as I am meant to, governed by your leading and not pulled off course.