From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. – Ezekiel 39:22

Today's Scripture Reading (October 7, 2026): Ezekiel 39

How well do you know what you do? Whatever it is that you spend your time doing, whatever consumes your time, whether it is your job or the activities you are involved in during your off time, my guess is that you know what it is you do fairly well. Each one of us has a skill set. I am sure you do some things better than others, and conversely, there are some things you don't do quite as well. That's how it is supposed to be. There are things that I do quite well; I hope that writing and teaching are in that group. However, I know there are things I am not good at: carpentry and mechanics are part of that rather large group of "some things."

Sometimes what we do is passed down through family lines. We learn the secrets of the occupation or business from our parents. Part of knowing what we do is understanding the purpose of what occupies our time. I remember attending a lecture many years ago by evolutionary creationist Denis Lamoureux. It was a great evening, partly because Dr. Lamoureux knows what he's talking about. You don't have to agree with his stand, but you quickly become convinced he knows what he's talking about and passionately believes what he teaches.

The repeated phrase in Ezekiel is that they "will know that I am the Lord their God." As Ezekiel concludes this controversial prophecy, he speaks directly to Israel. Israel will know that the one they call Lord is their God. I think there is reason for that. Israel's purpose was to bless the world; that was their job. They stood, as the children of God, at the center of God's blessing so they could bless the people with whom they came into contact. They couldn't do it unless they realized who God was. They needed continual reminders of that reality. So, the Bible continually contains this important idea, a reminder of who God is.

We need the same continual reminder. Church, you are here to bless the world. You can only do that if you recognize that God is at work in you. There are no other options. And you (we) need to be reminded of that continually: the reason why we are here and who God really is.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Daniel 3