If God could use an ordinary man like Ezekiel at the age of 30, then he can use you, too. Yet the passage also corrects every urgency. Hearing from God must come first before you speak.
Ezekiel was about to be sent on assignment. He would speak God’s message to Israel. However, God did not send him forward until he first heard God. In Ezekiel 2:1, the Lord told him to stand on his feet so he could speak to him.
This became a necessary prerequisite in my heart. An effective messenger for God must first hear from God. The source of the message must come from God alone. Otherwise, the messenger will not carry the correct message.
Meanwhile, I noticed something else in Ezekiel 2:2. As God spoke, the Spirit came into Ezekiel and raised him to his feet. Then Ezekiel said he heard him speaking to him. Notably, it was not only hearing words. It was hearing with the Spirit’s help, and therefore hearing with better understanding.
Yet Ezekiel’s calling also revealed God’s mercy. God knew the people were rebellious. Even so, He still sent His word to them. He wanted them to repent and be saved.
God also gave Ezekiel clear instructions for the opposition ahead. He told him not to be afraid. Moreover, He told him to speak His words, to listen to what He said, and not to rebel. Finally, in Ezekiel 2:8, He commanded him to open his mouth and eat what He gave him.
That phrase stayed with me: “Eat what I give you.” God did not say, “what I have given,” as though provision was only in the past. Neither did He say, “what I will give,” as though provision was only a future hope. Instead, He said, “what I give,” which points to ever-present provision. So if I go hungry, it is not because God failed to provide. Rather, it is because I failed to recognise and embrace His provision.
Living It Out
Let your calling begin with listening. Stand up to hear God, and receive what He gives you in the present. Then speak only what He speaks, without fear or rebellion. Hearing from God Before You Speak keeps your message pure and your heart dependent.