Everything is about making your Christmas ‘pub’ dinner reservation now.  Don’t wait a second longer!  But it’s only September!   We gripe back home when we hear Christmas music in stores before Halloween!  Here in England they’ve been playing Christmas music for weeks and weeks.  It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Ezekiel chapter 3–Ezekiel’s call to prophetic ministry with God telling him, ‘all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears’ ( 3: 10).   Before he can hear God’s Word, Ezekiel needs a receptive heart.

Before we can hear the Lord, our hearts must be open and receptive, eager to hear from Him.  Is that yours?  Excited to get into the Bible each day?  Can’t wait to hear from Him?

Like back home.  Day after Thanksgiving, my father would decorate for Christmas.   He loved doing it, and had his certain routines.  The artificial tree had to be assembled, only to discover that the lights were invariably broken.  Outside, on the overgrown holly tree, he’d set up ladders and poles to string up lights, which were either stolen or shattered in some wind storm.  But every year the lights went up, regardless.   Inside, a smiling Santa was brightly lit on our fake fireplace mantel.  In the dining room on top of the breakfront he had 4 separate letters spelling ‘Noel’.  Someone, I won’t say who(!),  would rearrange the letters every day until they read Nole, Leon, Olne, Elon…  He always laughed, and then just as quickly nodded off for a nap!  That was my Dad.

Christmas morning no one, and I mean no one, ever went downstairs to see what was under the tree until my father slowly, ploddingly, deliberately, edged himself and us down those endless stairs to the living room.  Took hours, so it seemed!  And then, finally, he’d announce, ‘it looks like Santa has been here’!  Only then, could we run to all the packages and toys and fun that awaited us!

Is that the anticipation the Lord is telling Ezekiel to have when it comes to His Holy Word?  Is that your attitude?  If so, great!  If not, pray for it.  Ask the Lord to make you receptive, open and excited…to dive into the Bible regardless of how you feel.  Get a good study Bible.  Attend a Bible study that stretches your heart and mind.  Find the church where you can grow and share in the Lord.  Get with it.  Come on…get all excited!  It’s God’s Word…listen to Him.  What could be better?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the Bible.  I can’t wait for our next time together!    In Jesus’ name.  Amen.