Scripture is filled with the promises of God for those who look to and depend on him. I was reading Ezekiel recently and read about four promises for leaders who are connected to God. It’s so easy to go and do ministry on our own, with our own efforts, intellect and strength. This scripture serves as a great reminder of what God will do when we are connected to him!
I’ll make a covenant of peace with them. I’ll banish fierce animals from the country so the sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. Ez. 34:25
Protection– He will protect you and keep you safe from the enemy, no doubt. With his covering, you can go and live and lead. But only with his protection.
I’ll make them and everything around my hill a blessing. I’ll send down plenty of rain in season-showers of blessings! Ez. 34:26
Blessing– When you are serving God and being patient and waiting on him, he will make you and everything around you a blessing. He will use you and your church a beacon of light in a cold dark world. Not only will you impact people far from him, but even those associated with your church will be a blessing to others.
He will send his blessings on you in season. Notice the text doesn’t say in season AND ALWAYS out of season I will bless you and your ministry with the same amounts of impact. I’m the proper season, the season he deems appropriate, God will bring his rain, his blessing, to your efforts. Funny thing about the rain too, it doesn’t take it’s lead from the soil. The ground doesn’t say, “Ok clouds, I am ready for you. I’m really dry now and it’s time for you to rain.” No, the rain rains when it wants to rain. That is when it rains.
The tress in the orchard will bear fruit, the ground will produce, they’ll feel content and safe on their land... Ez 34:27a
Impact– They will bear fruit. First comes the protection, then the rain and then the fruit bearing impact. Sometimes, we expect the fruit first, before the rain. We want to see ministry success, numerical growth and tons of life change. But… It has not yet rained. We have not yet received the proper blessing. We haven’t waited on God to show up and do what only he can do. We are the dry soil, the dry, cracked soil, yelling, “Why is there no fruit?” What a wild question, especially since we haven’t allowed God to do his part, to move on our behalf, with his protection, in season, and with his blessings.
They will realize that I am their God when I break them out of their slavery and rescue them from their slave masters. Ez 34:27b
Freedom– To What are you enslaved oh leader? The image of success? Pridefully always having your way? Being noticed and needed? God promises that he will free you from your slavery and allow you to live a life of freedom in him.
So why is it so difficult to remember the promises that God has for us? Love to hear your thoughts. Which of these areas is the most difficult for you to remember and why?
