skip to Main Content
DONATE to Small Church Ministries     |     SUBSCRIBE to Daily Devotional

Ezekiel 35

LORD is enemy of descendants of Esau                                 verse 1- 4 

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me – saying

Son of man – set thy face against mount Seir

and prophesy against it

and say unto it

Thus says the Lord GOD

BEHOLD – O mount Seir – I am against you

            and I will stretch out MINE hand against you

                        and I will make you most desolate

I will lay your cities waste – and you shall be desolate

                  and you shall know that I am the LORD 

LORD gives reason and judgment                                          verse 5- 9 

BECAUSE you have had a perpetual hatred

and have shed the blood of the children of Israel

by the force of the sword

in the time of their calamity

in the time that their iniquity had an end

THEREFORE – as I live – says the Lord GOD

I will prepare you unto blood – and blood shall pursue you

SINCE you have not hated blood

even blood shall pursue you

Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate

and cut off from it him that pass out and him that return

and I will fill his mountains with his slain men

in your hills – valleys – rivers

shall they fall that are slain with the sword

I will make you perpetual desolations – and your cities shall not return

and you SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD 

People of Edom state their reason for hatred                         verse 10- 13 

BECAUSE you have said

These two nations and these two countries shall be mine

and we will possess it

Whereas the LORD was there

THEREFORE as I live – say the Lord GOD

                        I will even do according to your anger

and according to your envy which you have used

out of your hatred against them

                        I will make MYSELF known among them

when I have judged you

            You SHALT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD

                        and that I have heard all your blasphemies which you

                                    have spoken against the mountains of Israel

saying

                                    They are laid desolate

                                                they are given us to consume

                        Thus with your mouth you have boasted against ME

                                    and have multiplied your words against ME

                                                I have heard them 

LORD going to wipe away people of Edom                            verse 14- 15 

Thus say the Lord GOD

            When the whole earth rejoices – I will make you desolate

                        as you did rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel

            BECAUSE it was desolate – so will I do unto you

                        you shall be desolate – O mount Seir

and all Idumea – even all of it

And they SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD       

                                                                          COMMENTARY:         

                                                DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

: 5        Because you have had a perpetual hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end. (343 “hatred” [eybah] means enmity, personal hostility, hostile mind, animosity, or rancor)

DEVOTION:   Here we have two relatives that have a bad history between them. The children of Esau were those who inhibited Edom. They lived in the land of mount Seir. They didn’t like their relatives because they thought they had cheated them out of the land that was promised to Jacob.

Remember Jacob who is also named Israel had lied to his father Isaac and received the blessing that was supposed to go to the firstborn, Esau. Not only that but he also made Esau give up his birthright for a serving of pottage when he was hungry.

The hatred was real. Jacob ran away from home to get away from his brother trying to kill him. When he returned he was afraid his brother was still going to try to kill him. This did not happen but the relatives never forgave Jacob or Israel for what had happened.

Now the Babylonians were coming to destroy Jerusalem and the people of Edom were helping them. They were capturing those who were trying to escape the army of Babylon and giving them to them to be killed and enjoying every minute of it.

This type of personal hostility is not to be found in those who believe in Jesus Christ. It is not a Christian characteristic. It is a sin. We need to turn those who abuse us over to the LORD and let HIM deal with them.

The problem is that there are people in our churches who will NEVER forgive someone for their mistreatment of them. They will hold on to their hatred and never seek restoration with someone who had offended them.

The Bible tells us that we are to forgive those who offend us, so that, the LORD can forgive us.

There are many bitter people in the pews of our churches singing songs to the glory of God but they will not let go of someone who has hurt them decades ago. It is eating them up.

CHALLENGE: Don’t be one of those who claim Christ and want HIS forgiveness and yet will not forgive a fellow human being for something they have done to you. 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 11      Therefore, as I live,” says the Lord God, “I will even do according to your anger and according to your                              envy which you have used out of your hatred against them and I will make MYSELF known among                                them, when I have judged you. (7068 “envy” [qin’ah] means jealousy, a greedy or prideful longing for                          something that belongs to another; even something intangible, such as a skill, ardor, enmity, wrath,                             or passion) 

DEVOTION: The LORD is looking down on the children of Esau and listening to what they are saying but also seeing their attitude toward the children of Israel. Our words can sometimes seem nice but the LORD looks at our heart.

He knows when we are faking friendship with someone. The children of Esau might have pretended to like the children of Israel before the Babylonians came to destroy Jerusalem.

The LORD doesn’t want us to fake friendship. HE wants us to be honest in our words and in our attitudes. HE saw the hatred the Edomites had toward the Israelites. HE saw their actions.

HE told them that HE was going to judge them by their own attitudes. If they wanted to act one way – HE would give them the same action.

HE doesn’t want those who follow HIM to be angry. We are not to let the sun go down on our anger. HE doesn’t want believers to envy anyone. HE provides all that we need. HE loves us and knows what is right for us and when it is right for us. HE wants our trust.

CHALLENGE: God not only hears our words but HE sees our attitude toward others. HE wants us to make sure that we are consistent in the way we talk and the way we act toward those who are HIS servants. We will not be blessed if our attitude is wrong toward others.

______________________________________________________ 

: 12      Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that I have heard of all your blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume. (5007 “blasphemies” [na’atsah] means provocation, contempt, defamation, blasphemous language expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred, reproach, or disgrace) 

DEVOTION: This nation was saying bad things about the nation of Israel. They were using words that shouldn’t come from the mouth of anyone. They were using the LORD’S name in vain. They were saying bad things against the LORD.

As believers we are to watch what words we use and which words we avoid. Sometimes believers will hear words they are not sure what they mean. These words should be avoided until we can look up the words in a dictionary or ask someone who can give us an answer. It is better not to use a word than to use it out loud and everyone hears you using it.

God is listening to your every word. Parents should be listening to every word their children use. Leaders should be listening to the words other believers use and advice

them against the use of some words.

The people who don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior know what words believers should use and what words they shouldn’t use. Our words are a part of our witness for the LORD. Bring glory to the LORD with your words.

CHALLENGE: We need to realize that God hears our every word and deals with us according to our words and actions. We need to be treating fellow believers well or the LORD will deal with us. We need to also make sure that we are dealing with our enemies well as well and let the LORD deal with them.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 13      Thus with your mouth you have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them. (1431 “boasted” [gadal] means to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, or do great things)

DEVOTION:   Mount Seir is the place where the descendants of Esau lived. Esau was the brother of Jacob. Jacob took Esau’s blessing and birth right by tricky. Jacob ran from him. On the way back Jacob was renamed Israel. His twelve children inherited the Promised Land. Esau inherited Mount Seir.

There was a natural hatred for Israel by those who lived in Mount Seir. They enjoyed seeing them go into captivity. They even helped their enemies collect them. If the Israelites ran from their enemies the Edomites caught them and gave them to their enemies.

The children of Israel were cousins to Esau. They should have known better than to mistreat a relative. The LORD was going to judge them. They not only helped the enemy of Israel but they put the LORD down in the process. They said bad things about the LORD. What they didn’t realize was that the LORD heard every word they said.

We need to realize that the enemies of the LORD are saying many bad things about the LORD and about Christianity. We need to remember that the LORD hears all their comments and HE will judge them one day for those comments.

They are not getting away with all the things they are doing and saying against the church and the people of God now. Everyone is going to stand in front of the LORD one day. Those outside of Christ will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.

Also, we need to remember that the LORD hears everything we say. If we promise the LORD something, we need to keep our promises. If we are in the worship service and don’t sing – the LORD hears that. If we are given a opportunity to witness and don’t say a word – the LORD is there. Remember that judgment will begin at the “house of the LORD.”

CHALLENGE: We need to watch our words. I have heard many things from the mouth of believers that make me wonder what they were thinking. I have said some things against some of God’s children that I should have never said. Our words need to be measured.

_______________________________________________________

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group) 

________________________________________________________

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible) 

Word of the LORD                                                  verse 1

Thus says the Lord GOD                                         verse 3, 14 

God the Father (First person of the Godhead) 

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)    verse 1, 4, 9, 10, 12, 15

                        Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master)                            verse 3, 6, 11, 14

                        GOD – Jehovah                                                     verse 3, 6, 11, 14

                        Lord GOD                                                              verse 3, 6, 11, 14

                        I am against you mount Seir                                verse 3

                        I will stretch out MINE hand                                verse 3

                        I will make mount Seir most desolate                 verse 3

                        I will make cities most desolate                           verse 4

                        Mount Seir shall know that I am the LORD         verse 4

                        Live                                                                        verse 6, 11

                        I will prepare Mt Seir unto blood

                                    and pursue them because they had not

                                    hated blood                                              verse 6

                        I will make Mount Seir most desolate                 verse 7

                        I will fill his mountains with his slain men           verse 8

                        I will made Mt Seir a perpetual desolation

                                    and your cities shall not return                verse 9

                        People of Mt Seir shall know that I am the

                                    LORD                                                         verse 9

                        I will do according to Mt. Seir’s anger and

                                    according to your envy                            verse 11

                        I will make MYSELF known                                  verse 11

                        Judge  of people of Mt Seir                                 verse 11

                        People shall know that HE is the LORD               verse 12

                        I have heard the blasphemies of people of

                                    Mt. Seir                                                     verse 13

                        I will make Mt. Seir desolate                               verse 14, 15

                        Idumea will be desolate                                      verse 15

                        They shall know that I am the LORD                   verse 15 

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)    

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation) 

Mount Seir                                                              verse 2- 4, 7, 10, 13, 15

            You shall be desolate

            Reason mount Seir will be desolate:

                        They had a perpetual hatred and

                        had shed the blood of children

                        of Israel

            Wanted to own the two nations and two

                        Countries that were the LORD’S

            Boasted against LORD and multiplied

                        words against HIM                       

Idumea                                                                    verse 15 

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels) 

Perpetual hatred                                                     verse 5, 11

Shed blood                                                             verse 5

Iniquity                                                                    verse 5

Not hated blood                                                     verse 6

Covetousness                                                          verse 10

Anger                                                                      verse 11

Envy                                                                         verse 11

Blasphemies                                                            verse 12

Boasting                                                                  verse 13 

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Prophesy                                                                 verse 2

Know the LORD                                                      verse 4, 9, 12, 15

Inheritance                                                             verse 15 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

Son of man = Ezekiel                                              verse 2

            Set your face against Mount Seir

                        prophesy against it

Children of Israel                                                     verse 5

Mountains of Israel                                                 verse 12

House of Israel                                                        verse 15 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

________________________________________________________________

DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org.  Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method.  Thank you.

__________________________________________________________

QUOTES regarding passage

Ezekiel enumerated at least five specific reasons for the judgment of Edom.

    First, Edom was to be judged for its “ancient” enmity against the Hebrews, still harbored after hundreds of years following the deception of Esau by Jacob (v. 5).

Second, the Edomites had encouraged Israel’s enemies to execute the Jews by the sword. They missed no opportunities to endorse and even to participate in attacks against Israel (v. 5; Obad 10–14).

Third, their desire to possess the land of Israel was fueled by their feelings that the land still belonged to them because Jacob had obtained it by deception (v. 10; Gen 27:1–40). Because of these feelings God said they would be victims of bloodshed since they perpetrated bloodshed and violence against Israel (v. 6). So Edom was to be destroyed (v. 7), and the land, filled with the slain, would remain a perpetual desolation (v. 8). The cities of Edom would vanish, never to return (v. 9). The accuracy of this prophecy is confirmed by the absence of Edom from the family of nations and the desolation of the region they formerly inhabited.

Fourth, the Edomites blasphemed the mountains of Israel by saying, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour” (v. 12). Their words were blasphemous because they disregarded Yahweh’s desire for the allotment of the land to Israel. Fifth, they had spoken against God “without restraint” (v. 13). This spirit of defiance was the subject of Malachi’s message and insight into the bitterness of the descendants of Esau (Mal 1:1–5). They exhibited an attitude of defiance that ignored God’s will for themselves as well as for the Israelites.

God promised judgment for Edom and announced that since the Edomites rejoiced over Israel’s calamity the whole world would rejoice over its destruction (v. 14). Gloating over Israel and trying to confiscate the territory caused the destruction, desolation, and loss of their land and national identity (v. 15). (Cooper, L. E. (1994). Ezekiel (Vol. 17, pp. 309–310). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

________________________________________________________

35:5–9. Ezekiel’s second section followed the “because/therefore” format (used in 25:1–17) in explaining why Edom would be judged. Edom’s sin was her enmity against Israel. She had harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword (cf. Obad. 10, 14). Edom hoped to profit from Israel’s loss, and she abetted Israel’s collapse.

Because Edom had assisted in Israel’s slaughter, God would assist in her slaughter. Four times (in Heb.) in Ezekiel 35:6 God referred to bloodshed (ḏām, lit., “blood”). This may be a wordplay on Edom’s name (’ěḏōm; from ’āḏaōm, “to be red”). Edom, with its red mountains, was now red with blood. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. Edom would suffer the same fate she had tried to inflict on Israel (see comments on Obad.). Many people would be slain and her towns would become desolate, no longer inhabited. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Ezekiel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1295–1296). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

___________________________________________________________

Was this a just judgment? Yes, it was, and the prophet gave the reasons why the destruction of Edom was an act of righteous judgment. For one thing, the descendants of Esau were greedy and wanted to claim the conquered nations of Judah and Samaria for themselves, completely ignoring the will of the Lord. God had given the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants, and that meant Jacob and not Esau. During Israel’s march to Canaan, they were warned not to meddle with the Edomites because God had assigned their land to them and they would not inherit any land in Canaan (Deut. 2:1–7). But the Edomites wanted to change God’s plans and annul God’s covenant and take the land for themselves. When the Babylonians invaded Judah in 606 b.c., the Lord was there fulfilling His own purposes (Ezek. 35:10) and He saw what the Edomites did. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be reverent (pp. 155–156). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor/Cook Communications.)

________________________________________________________

Jehovah was against Mount Seir, the land which He had given to Esau, because of the attitude that its people had taken toward Israel. Therefore, He was about to stretch out His hand against the land and make it a desolation and an astonishment. The cities were to be laid waste and to become utterly desolate—a prophecy that has been literally fulfilled. As we have noticed, Edom had been a perpetual enemy against the children of Israel; not only had they themselves taken up the sword against their blood-brothers, but also they had joined with others in seeking to prevent their escape when attacked by cruel foes. In retributive judgment, the mountains, hills, and valleys of the land of Edom were to be filled with its slain by the sword. Their cities, of which Petra and Teman were the chief, were to be made desolate perpetually, and left uninhabited in order that Jehovah might be manifested as the One whose word cannot be turned aside. Students of history know how exactly this prophecy has been fulfilled. (Ironside, H. A. (1949). Expository notes on Ezekiel, the prophet. (pp. 243–244). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

_____________________________________________________

Ver. 6. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, &c.] The form of an oath; the Lord swears by himself, because he could swear by no greater; and which he never does but in matters of importance, and for the confirmation of them, as the following is: I will prepare thee unto blood; prepare them for war, which will issue in slaughter and blood, such as the battle at Armageddon, Rev. 16:14, 16 and 19:18, 19: or, I will make thee blood; nothing else but blood; a mere Aceldama, a field of blood; turn thee into blood, as the sea, rivers, and fountains will be, at the pouring out the second and third vials, Rev. 16:3, 4: and blood shall pursue thee; the guilt and vengeance of blood; or the avengers of the blood of the saints; the angels that shall pour out the vials of wrath on Rome; the ten kings that shall hate the whore. So the Targum, “they that slay with the sword shall pursue thee;” or the shedders of blood, as Ben Melech: sith thou hast not hated blood; Jarchi reads it, hast hated blood; which he interprets of the blood of the sacrifices; as others, mentioned by him, of the blood of circumcision; and others, of his brother, who was his flesh and blood, and hated by him; but it is a figurative phrase, by which less is expressed than is intended. The sense is, thou hast loved blood; thou hast delighted in shedding blood; hast thirsted after it, and drank plentifully of it, and even been drunk with it, as the whore of Rome is said to be, Rev. 17:5: even blood shall pursue thee; this is repeated for the confirmation of it; and this was measure for measure; a just retaliation; having shed blood, it was but right that blood should pursue, and be given, Rev. 16:5, 6. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, p. 183). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

______________________________________________________________ 

FROM MY READING: 

1 Kings 2
David charges Solomon with the urgency of living for the Lord

INSIGHT
Parts of the Old Testament tax our understanding and our acceptance.
First, we do not understand much about Judaism, the Law, and Old Testament
culture and customs. Second, many of the events are violations of God’s desires-though that is not explained to us. And finally, God deals with men differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament.
While not all things are easily explained, in chapter 2, Solomon takes vengeance only upon all those people who had already committed acts that were punishable by death. This doesn’t answer every problem we might have with this difficult chapter, but it is a beginning. (Quiet Walk)

___________________________________________________________

HINDRANCES TO REVIVAL 

And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. Genesis 26:17-18
This incident in the life of Isaac has much to teach us in our consideration of the whole question of revival. The picture is one of Isaac in trouble, in a difficulty. If you read the context, you will find that he had been living in another part of the country, and God had blessed him in a very striking manner. So much so that Isaac had become the object of envy of those who were living round and about him, and they had forced him to move. “And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we” (Genesis 26:16). And so Isaac was compelled to move with his family and all his servants, possessions, and belongings. Then he came to the valley of Gerar and decided that he would dwell there. 

Of course, the moment he arrived he was confronted by an urgent and a very desperate need—the need of water. I do want to emphasize that because this was the need for something that is absolutely essential to life, in addition to being essential to well-being. He was not merely confronted by the problem of seeking some beautiful spot where he might pitch his tent or erect some kind of dwelling-place for himself. He was not looking for entertainment or for luxuries; he was not looking for any kind of accessory to life. The whole point of the story is that he was looking for something that is an absolute essential and without which life cannot be maintained at all.
I emphasize that because the first thing that we must realize about the situation we are in today is its desperate character. 

A Thought to Ponder: The first thing that we must realize about the situation we are in today is its desperate character. (From Revival, p. 21, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

____________________________________________________________

The Cup of Salvation

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:12-13)
Here is a remarkable question and answer. To everyone born into the world, God has given multitudes of benefits. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). Some receive more than others, but all receive many, so the question is what we should do for the Lord in return. The answer is simply to receive His great gift of eternal salvation!
On one occasion the people of Capernaum asked Jesus: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” His answer must be profoundly surprising to anyone who believes that he can please God and earn salvation by doing good works. “This is the work of God,” said Jesus, “that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29).
The truth is we can never pay for our sins by good deeds. If one is ever to be saved from his sins and to obtain salvation, it must be received solely by faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death,” but “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” so that “the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” and—in the words of our text above—“whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 6:23; 5:8; 5:15; 10:13).
Therefore, when a repentant sinner calls in faith on the wonderful name of our gracious Lord, he drinks of the healing cup of salvation and receives everlasting life. Because Jesus drank the bitter cup of God’s righteous judgment on our sins, we can drink deeply of the “living water. . . . springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10-14), and we can say with the psalmist: “My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23:5-6). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

____________________________________________________________

His words emphasize the Laodiceans’ false sense of security, as He compares HIS offer of salvation to the emptiness of their supposed wealth. AS we noted earlier, the city was know for its financial prosperity, its wool industry, and the production of eye salve. In this one verse, the Lord upends that local pride and illustrates just how spiritually poor, blind, and destitute they were without Him. (p. 168)

___________________________________________

His advice to “buy from Me” is an echo of God’s words through the prophet Isaiah: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isa. 55:1), Christ’s righteousness is not for sale to sinners; the price has already been paid. (p. 168)

_____________________________________________

Passages like Psalm 145:8-9, Matthew 5:44-48, and Mark 10:21 make it clear that the Lord does love even the world of unrepentant, reprobate sinners with a love of true compassion. (p. 170)

______________________________________________

The point is that God’s love for sinners begins with the unmasking of our wretchedness. (p. 171)

_______________________________________________

His love for each of us began with reproof and discipline. (p. 171)

            (Christ’s Call TO REFORM the Church by John MacArthur)

____________________________________________________________

THE PARENTS WHO DRUGGED US — Very True!

The other day I was in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and someone asked me a rhetorical question: ‘Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?’
I replied that I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on

Sunday morning.  I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.  I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.  I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.  I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the Pastor, or if I didn’t  put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen or bathroom sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity.  I was drug out to pull weeds in the yard and flower beds.  I was drug to the homes of neighbors to help mow the yard, repair the clothesline, and if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, my dad would have drug me  back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think.  They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin, and if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place. God bless the parents who drugged us.  (Thanks Ida)

_____________________________________________________________

We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.

Back To Top