When it is difficult to pray, it is good to turn to the prophets. Ezekiel was a strange, haunted man. He was God’s messenger to a broken people. In 599 B.C., the Babylonian army burned down Jerusalem. The city, the palace and the temple were destroyed.
The temple was the most traumatic loss. In Exodus, God told Moses: “Build me a sanctuary that I may dwell among you.” To the Jews, the temple embodied God’s presence on earth.
Ministering to and praying for these people, Ezekiel was given a vision of a new temple. In the midst of their desolation, he foresaw God’s bright and splendid presence among them once more.
When we find it difficult to pray, we must remember that we, too, are God’s temples, waiting to be lit to incandescence. We must believe the Lord will return. He will always comfort His people.
