Going in a Humph

"So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was upon me."  - Ezekiel 3:14

Or in the flavor of the Message Bible:
"... I went bitterly and angrily. I didn't want to go.  But God had me in His grip."  

Maybe it's just me, but there are times when going where and doing what God asks me to do is not a magic carpet ride lifting me up and taking me away.  Calgon has utterly deserted me.  The heat of MY spirit is enough to sizzle a WHOLE carton of eggs just walking by them. 

Ezekiel certainly had many reasons to fly off in bitterness and anger -- and he even had no idea what else was in store.  I wouldn'ta wanted to go either. 

BUT God.

If i had a dollar (inflation, you know) for all the times in the Bible that THAT phrase surfaces.....

Ah, such a gracious, powerful, loving God we serve.  "But God had me in His grip...."  And you know what, Ezekiel went.  And obeyed. And prophesied.  And lay on his side for a year.  And cooked his dinner over a cow-dung fire.  And on down the list.

I am SO so grateful for a God Who will lift me up by His Spirit -- even when i'm fuming inside and don't want to go --- Who will keep me in His grip and take me to the PLACE He has for me at that moment. 

And then the glory and the power of God is revealed and things happen.  And we got to be a part of it. 

It might be is hard to get going to that place, but i love the fact that i'm not on that ride alone.  And that even through my bitterness and the fact that i've clicked a big "dislike" button on God's Facebook post on my page, that even so God is willing to use me.

I'm so glad to have Ezekiel's example.  I'm looking forward to reading his story.  What is speaking to you?