Ezekiel 16:15-19: a reflection

15“‘“But you trusted in your beauty, and played the prostitute because of your renown, and poured out your prostitution on everyone who passed by. It was his. 16You took some of your garments, and made for yourselves high places decked with various colors, and played the prostitute on them. This shouldn’t happen, neither shall it be. 17You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and played the prostitute with them. 18You took your embroidered garments, covered them, and set my oil and my incense before them. 19My bread also which I gave you, fine flour, oil, and honey, with which I fed you, you even set it before them for a pleasant aroma; and so it was,” says the Lord GOD.

Through Ezekiel, God grieves that his people took the very good gifts he had lavished on them, their beauty, his gold and silver, the food he provided, and turned them to serve other things rather than the God who gave them. You took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, God says, and my bread which I gave you, and you used them for what dishonored me. God had given his people good gifts in abundance; but instead of using these gifts for him and in gratitude to him, they turned them to serve other loves, devoting to what dishonored God the very things he had given. The gifts of God's grace were turned against the Giver. This shows the tragedy of taking God's good gifts and turning them to serve other things. Do not take God's good gifts and turn them to serve other things. The gifts God gives are to be used for him, not against him. What God provides can be misused, devoted to what dishonors him. Use God's gifts in gratitude to the Giver, not for other loves.

Notice the sad irony God points to. He had lavished good gifts on his people: beauty, wealth, his own gold and silver, fine food, all that they had. These were his gifts, given out of his love and care. But what did the people do with them? They took these very gifts, the gold and silver God had given, the food he had provided, and used them to serve other things, devoting them to what dishonored God. The gifts of God's grace were turned against the Giver, used not in gratitude to him but in service of other loves. This holds a searching warning for us. God gives us good gifts: our abilities, our resources, our possessions, our very selves, all that we are and have, given by his grace. And there is a real danger of taking these gifts and turning them to serve other things, using what God has given not for him and in gratitude to him, but for our own idols, our own loves, the things we put in his place, even for what dishonors him. The gifts God gives are meant to be used for him, in gratitude to the Giver; but we can misuse them, devoting to other things the very things he gave. We do well to use God's good gifts for him, in gratitude to the Giver, rather than turning them to serve other loves or what dishonors him. Use God's good gifts for him and in gratitude, not to serve other things. What God gives is not to be turned against the Giver. Beware misusing God's gifts, devoting to other loves what he gave. Let all God has given you be used for him, not for idols.

That is worth taking to heart, for the gifts God gives are to be used for him, not turned to serve other things, and we do well to use them in gratitude to the Giver, as God grieved that his people misused his gifts. We can take God's good gifts and turn them to serve other loves; but God grieved that his people used the very gold and food he gave for what dishonored him. Use them for him. Do not take what God has given, your abilities, resources, and self, and turn them to serve other things; use his gifts for him, in gratitude to the Giver. Use God's good gifts for him and in gratitude to the Giver, not turning them to serve other loves or what dishonors him, as through Ezekiel God grieved that his people took the very good gifts he had lavished on them, their beauty, his gold and silver, and the food he provided, and turned them to serve other things rather than the God who gave them, saying they took the jewels of his gold and silver which he had given and the bread he gave and used them for what dishonored him; for God had given his people good gifts in abundance, but instead of using these gifts for him and in gratitude they turned them to serve other loves, devoting to what dishonored God the very things he had given, so that the gifts of his grace were turned against the Giver, which holds a searching warning for us, since God gives us good gifts, our abilities, resources, possessions, and very selves, all given by his grace, and there is a real danger of taking these gifts and turning them to serve other things, using what God has given not for him and in gratitude but for our own idols and loves and even for what dishonors him, since the gifts God gives are meant to be used for him and in gratitude to the Giver but we can misuse them and devote to other things the very things he gave, so that we do well to use God's good gifts for him rather than turning them to serve other loves.

Lord, through Ezekiel you grieve that your people took the very good gifts you had lavished on them, their beauty, your gold and silver, the food you provided, and turned them to serve other things rather than you, the God who gave them. You took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, you say, and my bread which I gave you, and you used them for what dishonored me. You had given your people good gifts in abundance; but instead of using these gifts for you and in gratitude to you, they turned them to serve other loves, devoting to what dishonored you the very things you had given. The gifts of your grace were turned against you, the Giver. Show me the sad irony you point to. You had lavished good gifts on your people: beauty, wealth, your own gold and silver, fine food, all that they had. These were your gifts, given out of your love and care. But what did the people do with them? They took these very gifts and used them to serve other things, devoting them to what dishonored you. The gifts of your grace were turned against you, used not in gratitude but in service of other loves. This holds a searching warning for me. You give me good gifts: my abilities, my resources, my possessions, my very self, all that I am and have, given by your grace. And there is a real danger of taking these gifts and turning them to serve other things, using what you have given not for you and in gratitude, but for my own idols, my own loves, the things I put in your place, even for what dishonors you. The gifts you give are meant to be used for you, in gratitude to the Giver; but I can misuse them, devoting to other things the very things you gave. Take that to my heart. Keep me from taking what you have given, my abilities, resources, and self, and turning them to serve other loves or what dishonors you; help me use your good gifts, Lord, for you and in gratitude to you, the Giver, letting all you have given me be used for you, not for idols.