We gather out "from among the heathen" as we attend the Lord's house. And I love being with fellow saints in the Lord's service.
"I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land."
- Ezekiel 36:24
Image: Washington DC Temple, touched up
These verses give me so much hope.
We are all sheep, and He the Shepherd. When I think I know what's going on, it helps me to remember that our knowledge and understanding of the world around us, its dangers, and the Lord's grand work are as clear to me as a they are to sheep.
We are children--toddlers--who know nothing beyond our immediate reach, but have parents who feed, clothe, protect, teach, chasten, discipline, and love with patience. Our Heavenly parents do the same for us.
11 ¶ For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
- Ezekiel 34:11-12
Maybe the Lord is trying to tell me something in this "hidden" pattern....
For Come, Follow Me yesterday I read Ezekiel 3:17 (notice the "3" and "7"):
"I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: ... give them warning from me."
Today I read this in Ezekiel 33:7:
"I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me."
This pattern (and the numbers!) remind me of 1 Nephi 3:7 and 1 Nephi 17:3:
"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them"
We are blessed to have a prophet of God on the earth today to serve as a watchman and to warn us of danger.
"I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: ... give them warning from me."
- Ezekiel 3:17
One of the great lessons of Ezekiel is that God can visit us in captivity. He knows where we are. If we turn to Him, He will be there.
"As I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, ... the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God."
- Ezekiel 1:1
