He was a churchgoing man who loved to hear good preaching and discuss Bible truths. He and his family faithfully attended services twice every Sunday. But in his home this man was a tyrant. On one occasion he even struck his wife.

When his pastor learned this, he tried to counsel him. He warned him that if he continued his violent behavior he would one day be a lonely, unloved man. But the warning went unheeded.

That man's wife has since left him, and his married daughters want nothing to do with him. His pastor's words have come true. Today he is lonely and rejected by his family.

The people of Ezekiel's day were a lot like that old man. They enjoyed listening to the prophet speak God's message, but they went on living wickedly and didn't take his warnings seriously. And just as the prophet had predicted, the Babylonians came and made them a captive nation. Only then did they realize that they had made the serious mistake of hearing God's words but not heeding them. But it was too late to avert divine judgment.

Lord, help us to apply Your truth to our lives so that we may experience Your love. Help us to be both hearers and heeders.  —HVL  — Herbert Vander Lugt