Category: 843 Acres

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Beyond Utility

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 15 Listen: (1:09)

Read: Philippians 2 Listen: (3:45)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 15.1-8

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? 3 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? 4 And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? 5 If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred? 6 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. 7 I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord. 8 I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Reflection: Beyond Utility

By John Tillman

God frequently called Israel a vine.

Usually, this is a beautiful metaphor. God the agriculturalist, tenderly cultivates the vines and harvests the fruit. But here, God uses a building metaphor. God points out that the flexible, soft wood of a vine can’t even make a peg in a wall to hold something up. It is useful only as fuel for the fire.

“What use is my vine?” God asks.

The question hangs ominously unanswered within the eight verses of this short chapter… It seems hopeless. It implies there is no use—no redeeming purpose.

But there is a deeper layer. In the larger narrative of Ezekiel and the rest of the Bible, God uses the unusable and redeems the unredeemable. Despite Israel’s failure, God revealed through Ezekiel that restoration was coming. The exiled would return. The discarded would be treasured. The useless would be repurposed.

The vine of Israel failed but Jesus is the true vine that is useful, productive, and faithful to God. The disciples preached, cast out demons, and healed the sick. (Mark 3.13-15) How? He was the vine, they were the branches.

I remember hearing Rich Mullins point out that Mark 3.13 says Jesus called to himself “those he wanted” not needed. It could be argued that the only disciple Jesus needed was Judas to betray him. If Jesus didn’t need the disciples, why call them? We could ask the same about ourselves.

We may, with very good intentions, desire to be “useful” to God. There may be many things that we do for God’s kingdom. But no matter what tasks we might tackle, God calls us to himself not a task.

God loves you, not your utility.

God is interested in you, not your résumé.

God wants you, not your talents. (He gave them to you anyway.)

God calls you because he wants you, not what you can do.

This is good news for the exiled, the weak, the hurt, the hopeless, and those who know the sting of failure.

You don’t need to be useful to be loved by God. No matter how weak or burned your wood is…no matter how hopeless it seems…you can be restored as part of Christ’s beautiful vine. God wants you grafted into the vine of Jesus.

Be nourished from and held by Jesus, the vine. Your fruitfulness and faithfulness depend on your connection to him.


Music: “Hold Me Jesus,” Rich Mullins.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

I put my trust in your mercy; my heart is joyful because of your saving help. — Psalm 13.5

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Scrupulosity of the Spirit

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 14 Listen: (4:09)

Read: Philippians 1 Listen: (4:03)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 14.1-5

1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’

Reflection: Scrupulosity of the Spirit

By John Tillman

The elders appeared before Ezekiel with something they thought was a secret—idols in their hearts and wicked stumbling blocks before their faces.

These exiled elders may not have had physical idols in the temple (as in Ezekiel’s previous vision) but they had them in their hearts.

Do we appear before God in this way? Do we trust God but keep our idols? Do we seek God’s truth or do we have “stumbling blocks” before our faces? Do we stumble trying to justify a policy, a position, a sin? Do we stumble looking for biblical backup for what we already worship?

Recently, Russell Moore discussed the term “moral scrupulosity” with Alan Noble. Moral scrupulosity describes a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder in our spiritual lives. A person suffering from OCD may compulsively wash their hands over and over, even when there is no sign of them becoming contaminated or dirty. A person with moral scrupulosity may compulsively obsess over whether they have really confessed and repented enough for God to forgive them even when there is no sign of sinful actions or thought patterns.

Having written recently about “secret idolatry” and “stumbling blocks” in our hearts, I want to be careful not to send anyone into a spiral of moral scrupulosity. Neither do I want to inspire people to use freedom to enable sin or to shrug and say, “God will forgive me,” while making no effort to obey.

God’s answer to those who seek him with idols and stumbling blocks sounds harsh but there is grace in it. The purpose of his harsh answer is to win back our hearts. He reveals our inner idols so that we can repent. He wants us to come back to him free of our idols. God wants more than to forgive us of sin. He wants to free us from its grip.

So examine yourself, inside and out, with sober judgment. Ask that your idols be revealed.  Trust the scrupulosity of the Holy Spirit, not your heart’s obsessions. Deal with what is revealed and joyfully return to the Lord.

Do not give yourself excuses. But do not excuse yourself from God’s grace.

Renounce prideful self-sufficiency. But do not embrace incapacitating self-doubt.

Humble yourself. But do not spiral into self-loathing.

Confess sin. But avoid obsessive self-flagellation.

God’s mercy should set us free, not bind us.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see.

Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear.

Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand.

So I shall turn to you and be healed.

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Disputes Matter

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 11 Listen: (3:53)
Read: Romans 14 Listen: (3:28)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 12 Listen: (4:26), Read: Romans 15 Listen: (4:32)
Read: Ezekiel 13 Listen: (4:14), Read: Romans 16 Listen: (3:30)

Scripture Focus: Romans 14.13-21

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

Reflection: Disputes Matter

By John Tillman

Things outside the core teachings of Christianity are sometimes called “secondary issues” or “disputable matters.” Paul says disputable matters shouldn’t cause disputes. And yet…we have many disputes in the modern church.

Public disputes about secondary issues affect Christians and non-Christians. Unbelievers tell me, “If God is real and the Bible is true, why doesn’t everyone agree?” Christians face a similar frustration. “The Bible is clear! Why don’t all believers agree?” This frustration can cause doubt or deconstruction of faith.

The Bible is clear on many things but not everything. Paul knew this. Paul’s former colleagues, the Pharisees read the same Torah as the Sadducees, yet disagreed on important matters. One major example is that the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. Pharisees did. Paul used this to his advantage when defending himself before the combined council. He got the Pharisees on his side by declaring his belief in the resurrection of the dead! (Acts 23.6-9)

Christianity falls apart without belief in the resurrection. It’s a core truth. But is it a problem that we disagree on secondary things?

First, universal agreement is an unrealistic expectation and a false assumption we don’t apply to other fields of study. There is broad agreement about the central tenets of complex topics, but views diverge at the fringes. In physics, mathematics, and literature, there are unproven theories, debates over the meaning of data, and varied interpretations. That doesn’t make these topics worthless or their settled conclusions false. It makes them interesting and demonstrates their commitment to seeking truth.

We don’t need universal agreement to be united under Christ’s authority. We don’t need to disrupt fellowship unless we disagree about core truths. However, don’t use this freedom to sin or encourage sin. (Galatians 5.13) Paul doesn’t encourage the Romans to become wishy-washy, doubtful, or cave to culture, but to lean into scripture and fellowship.

Embrace curiosity and pursue deeper understanding. Take the scripture seriously and hold to it tightly. By engaging the scripture in a community, make up your mind and live out your convictions but don’t use them to judge or attack other believers. Paul tells us not to judge others or tempt them to act against their convictions.

Don’t let variances of interpretation in secondary matters tempt you to throw out scripture or Christian siblings. Bear with one another. Allow others the same freedom in Christ you enjoy.


From John: Some might ask, “Where do we draw the line between core teachings and secondary issues?” It’s a good question. But there’s no room in a 400-word devotional to answer it. The shortest answer I can give is, that if it is not mentioned in the Nicene Creed, the Lausanne Covenant, or Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis, there is a strong chance it is a secondary issue. A humorous answer is that where to draw this line is also a secondary issue.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

God is a righteous judge; God sits in judgment every day. — Psalm 7.12

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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The Debt We Owe

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 10 Listen: (3:16)
Read: Romans 13 Listen: (2:35)

Scripture Focus: Romans 13.7-10

7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”  and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law

Reflection: The Debt We Owe

By John Tillman

What debt do we owe? Why do we owe it? Who do we owe it to?

Paul lays out civil obligations to submit to authority, have respect for law and order, and pay taxes to support those serving in government. These are intertwined with Paul’s concern for our moral obligations. Paul sums up what we owe in one word: Love.

In seminary, I performed with a creative arts team that traveled to churches, conventions, and camps performing and sharing the gospel through drama and dance. On a few occasions, we were given a “per diem” for expenses instead of a credit card. As the director, I received a large amount of cash and was charged to give each team member a specific amount of money for each day’s meals. As soon as I received that money, I owed a debt to each team member. It was not my money. It was theirs. I owed it to them.

I could have kept the money. I could have given smaller amounts than instructed, then bought myself extravagant meals with the extra. I could have paid part of my college loans or my tuition with it. Doing any of those things would have defaulted on the debt. I would have stolen from them as surely as if I took money from their pockets. I would also have stolen from the one who gave me the money in the first place.

This is the situation we are in with the love of God. He freely gives to us and commands us to freely give to others. (Matthew 10.8) God’s love is for us, too. Just as the per diem cash was intended to feed me too. But if we lavishly enjoy and indulge in God’s love for us and never give freely of that love to others, we are defaulting on our debt. We rob God and harm our neighbor.

Some want to qualify or minimize our debt of love. For example asking, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10.29) Kinists and racists justify themselves by saying “your neighbor” is only Christians or only your race. These false teachers counsel us to eat more than our share of the per diem. Jesus disagrees. (Matthew 25.45)

What debt do we owe? Love. Why do we owe it? Jesus. Who do we owe it to? Everyone.

Don’t default on our debt of love.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel. — Psalm 69.7

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Mark of the Lord

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 9 Listen: (2:05)
Read: Romans 12 Listen: (2:58)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 9.3-4

3 Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”

Reflection: Mark of the Lord

By Erin Newton

Speculating about the end of the world has become something of a common practice for many Christians. There is the impulse to look at the news about wars and catastrophic weather and want to find a way to comfort ourselves by mapping out the future. It’s not so easily done and I’m afraid we’ll always have more questions than answers. Ezekiel shows us, however, that judgment comes for those aligned with evil.

The previous chapters detailed the level of idolatry in Ezekiel’s day. The list of gods and images worshiped spans the full spectrum of ancient Near Eastern religions. It was not that the people just stumbled; it was that they welcomed every possible way of loving anything but God.

And because of this, God is angry and responds with judgment. This chapter is difficult and painful to read. It speaks of the thorough judgment of God upon all people—no gender or age discriminated against. While we can mentally understand, even if it is emotionally difficult to accept, that God’s judgment on false worship is justified, it is never given without a sense of hope and mercy.

Placing a mark on one’s forehead is a familiar action, but usually with Revelation in mind. In Ezekiel 9, the mark was only given to those who were repentant. It was a mark that not only identified the people as righteous but also belonging to God.

As with a runaway cow, if it weren’t for tagging or branding, no one would know where it needed to be returned. The mark on that beast reveals where it belongs.

Those who are faithful (Ezek 9.4) and those who are wicked (Rev 13.16-17) exhibit the mark of the one who lays claim to their heart. One mark means life and the other mark means death—everyone is marked in one way or another.

Our tendency to throw around the term “mark of the beast” as an identifier of any modern concept (barcodes, government issued identification numbers, cell phone technology . . . you name it), shows that we don’t read the Scriptures carefully.

In many ways we want to control the future by hacking some timeline but we always come up with questions rather than certainties. Let us focus not on what the mark is, but whose mark we have. Are we showing the world faces marked for God or for false gods?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Cry of the Church

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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