August 1 Orderly Living

Ezekiel 46:9-10 "When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out.

READING through more details of God's instructions for the new temple and restoring worship to Jerusalem, I paused on these two verses. "Why would it be important how one entered and left the temple?" I wondered. Here's what I learned.

    To enter by the north gate and leave by the south, or vice-versa, indicates two important aspects of worship. First of all, if a person in worship turned around and left by the way he came, it would symbolize one was turning his back to God. Moving forward through the two temple gates they were permitted to use was a symbolic act of reverence before God.

    Second, such a process brought order to the general congregation's worship. Most of us like to know the "Order of Worship" when we go to church. It's good to participate in what is happening, and it's good to anticipate what is coming next. For people to come in and go out the same gate while others are coming in would cause confusion and disorder. God requires order to worship.

    We can use these lessons for our daily lives, too. People I know who have a regular time with God each day do so because they have established an order to their lives. Households that are at peace have an order to their activities, determining what is best to do with purpose and not just to be busy doing things. Businesses and nations that succeed have a proper order of functioning under right laws.

    Life with God is simple if we follow his orderly words. Jesus said such order begins with this: Matthew 22:37-39 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 

Prayer: May my love for you, Lord, and my love for others be the order of my life. May I enter and leave each day with my face turned toward you. In the Holy Spirit's power I pray, amen.