June 17, 2024 

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 17:22-24

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 17:1-28; Proverbs 18:1-20:4; John 16:17-33

“And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 17:24)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The kingdom of Israel, by this time, has been hauled away to Assyria. The kingdom of Judah, which remains, is struggling to prop itself up. Corruption and idolatry are where God’s chosen people have placed their trust. Yet the word of the Lord still comes to them through the prophet Ezekiel. These verses are taken from the ending of God’s parable of the eagle and a vine. The line of David had continued just as God had promised, but those who had taken the scepter generation after generation looked after their own interests.

The Davidic line, by all measurements of success, had failed. Judah and her kings chased false gods rather than the God who preserved them. The God who stayed the Babylonian conquest for Hezekiah would no longer hold them back. The king and his princes, the people of Judah, will be hauled off to Babylon. This wicked generation will never see the land God gave to them again.

There is hope, though. While God certainly punishes sin and the wickedness of His people, He remembers those who hold on to His word and promises. We all struggle with sin and feel lost in a world that tosses us around with the winds of desire. When you feel lost, cling to the One who brings the high trees of the world, the Babylons and great empires, to take the low trees, the faithful remnant high. You have the assurance that the faithful in Judah had through Ezekiel, the one who proclaimed it to them. “I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.” (17:24)

God does conquer the sin, the anxiety, and the fear of this life for you, not through political wheeling and dealing, not through chasing idols to earn worldly security. God takes all the sin, fear, and anxiety of us who struggle against our sinful flesh- He takes it upon Himself in His Son Jesus. He doesn’t take it and give you a list of how to make things right. Jesus takes your sin, covers it in His blood, and swallows it up in His death. Christ’s life of His resurrection is your life. God has spoken by the prophets and done it through Jesus His Son. Fear not; cling to the words and promises of God as they are given to you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Christ, the shoot that springs triumphant From the stump of Jesse’s tree; Christ, true vine, You nurture branches To bear fruit abundantly. Graft us into You, O Savior; Prune our hearts so we remain Fruitful branches in Your vineyard Till eternal life we gain. (LSB 540, 3)

- Vicar Justin Chester, Vicar at Shepherd of the City, Fort Wayne, IN

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing.