Daily Devotionals
2021
Monday, December 20
Dianne Wegiel
“Mom, come quick! You’ve got to see this,” called my daughter from atop a giant boulder in our neighbor’s yard. Her eyes were aglow with awe as she pointed to a simple, small tree growing through the stone causing a fissure to form. “How Mom, how?”
During the time of the Babylonian exile, the house of Israel was much like that giant boulder. Years of disobedience toward God had turned their hearts to stone which was now reflected in the seemingly immoveable, unbreakable situation they were in. No home. No direction. No favor. No hope.
But just because the Israelites were reaping what they had sown does not mean God wasn’t there and working. Even in the midst of their sin and disobedience, God was still moving to accomplish His good and perfect will that He may be glorified among the nations as the one, true sovereign God. So, in His amazing absurdity, God would confound convention by using an unfaithful, backsliding people to prove His sovereignty. He would awaken them to their sin, cleanse them of their idolatry, replace their hearts of stone with hearts of flesh, and put a new spirit within them. (Ezekiel 36: 25-26) No small task! And what’s even more absurd, He would send a baby into the world to do it—once and for all for all of humankind. Through that infant, through our faith in Emmanuel, God with us, who became a sacrificial lamb, our home is now secure, our direction set, our favor as sons and daughters guaranteed, our hope renewed.
Like the tree which, defying all logic, can make its way through stone, so God can make His way in us by transforming our hearts through His Spirit so we, like that tree, can grow and flourish. All for His glory.
Dianne lives in North Reading. She is passionate about using music to connect with people of all backgrounds and abilities. She is also passionate about coffee! Winter is her favorite season and she loves all it has to offer.