The Misplaced Trust
Daily Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 26-28
Daily Focus Passage: Ezekiel 27
In Ezekiel 27, the Prophet declares Tyre. The declaration centered on the coming destruction and punishment. Because they pursued the things of this world, they rested in the power of their might in the eyes of the world, and they saw to find security in their success. When we consider the message to tire, we must recognize that the same threat occurs for people today. We must be cautious against pursuing the things of this world and neglecting to find our success in the Lord.
When we chase success as defined by society, we're on a never-ending quest for more. The world's definition of success always changes, so our expectations and goals constantly adjust. This reality means that the pursuit of worldly success is ultimately fruitless. Even when we achieve success, it doesn't bring lasting fulfillment because we're always looking for the next thing. We must heed this warning and avoid chasing something that can never truly satisfy us.
Ezekiel's message to Tyre challenged them not to rest in their strength. He spoke of how their trust in their military ability would lead to their downfall. Considering this for life today, we must recognize that when we trust in our power and strength as the foundation for life, we cannot stand or withstand the challenges we face when attempting to rest in our ability. We are not allowing ourselves to rest on the firm foundation of the Lord but instead are trying to replace the foundation offered by the Lord with the flimsy foundation of the flesh. Thus, we must guard the self and not be like Tyre, who rested in their appearance of power and success, but instead, we must seek to live in humility and seek and pursue the Lord.
Ezekiel's message to Tyre challenged them not to rest in their strength. He spoke of how their trust in their military ability would lead to their downfall. Considering this for life today, we must recognize that when we trust in our power and our strength as the foundation for life, we cannot stand or withstand the challenges we face when attempting to rest in our ability. We are not allowing ourselves to rest on the firm foundation of the Lord but instead are trying to replace the foundation offered by the Lord with the flimsy foundation of the flesh. Thus, we must guard the self and not be like Tyre, who rested in their appearance of power and success, but instead, we must seek to live in humility and seek and pursue the Lord.
