What lessons from Ezekiel 6:3 can we apply to avoid spiritual complacency? Setting the Scene Ezekiel 6:3: “And say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I Myself am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.’” The Heart of Ezekiel 6:3 • The “high places” were literal hilltop shrines where God’s people mixed true worship with idols. • God addresses the very geography—mountains, hills, ravines, valleys—to stress how completely idolatry had saturated the land. • His sword of judgment shows that complacency about sin never stays hidden; it eventually invites God’s loving but severe discipline (Hebrews 12:5-6). Recognizing the Roots of Spiritual Complacency • Forgetting God’s exclusivity: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Blending faith with cultural idols dulls our hearts. • Numbing through routine: when worship becomes habit rather than heartfelt, our “high places” become invisible. • Presuming on grace: assuming God will overlook ongoing compromise because He is gracious (Romans 6:1-2). • Lack of holy fear: “Let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Practical Steps to Stay Spiritually Alert 1. Tear Down Modern High Places - Identify anything—career, entertainment, relationships—that competes with Christ’s supremacy (Colossians 1:18). - Actively remove or reorder those loves so God reigns first (James 4:8). 2. Keep Short Accounts with God - Regular confession keeps the heart soft (1 John 1:9). - Don’t let small compromises pile up into monuments of indifference. 3. Cultivate Holy Habits, Not Hollow Routines - Engage Scripture with expectation, listening for the Spirit’s conviction (Psalm 139:23-24). - Approach worship as encounter, not checkbox. 4. Remember God’s Warnings Are Acts of Mercy - Ezekiel’s prophecy came before judgment fell; warnings invite repentance (2 Peter 3:9). - Respond quickly; delayed obedience is disobedience. 5. Encourage One Another Daily - Community helps spot creeping complacency (Hebrews 3:13). - Invite honest accountability and speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Encouragement from Other Passages • Revelation 2:4-5—Return to first love; do the works you did at first. • 2 Chronicles 7:14—Humility, prayer, and turning from wicked ways bring healing. • Psalm 51:12—“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” Staying vigilant means daily demolishing high places in our hearts, delighting in Christ above all, and welcoming God’s loving warnings as guardrails that keep us from drifting into complacency. |
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