Eat Like Ezekiel

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.  -Ezekiel 3:1-3 (NIV)

We, as believers, are called to do something with the Word.  Yes, I know Ezekiel is one of those prophets who seems to border somewhere between deranged madman and dedicated messenger of God.  Yet, God calls Ezekiel to do something symbolically that He expects of all of us literally.

Take in the Word.  Take it in daily.  Take it in deliberately.  Take the Word in as much as you can each and every day.

• Discover the Word: Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll... (v. 1). The ESV says: eat whatever you find here,  while the New King James Version reads: eat that you find.  You need to discover the Word.  I don't mean find the thing that is sitting somewhere on the backseat from your last visit to church.  I mean find out what the Word has to offer.  Don't rely on what others have to say about it.  Discover it for yourself.  Seek out the Word and see what it has to offer.
• Devour the Word: So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll (v. 2, KJV). Take the Word in.  Eat it up.  Consume it.  Take it into your soul.  Allow it to feed the hunger that burns within you.  Let the Word nourish you.  Feast on the deep mysteries of God.  Open your mouth and eat of what God provides to His children as you discover His Word for yourself.
• Digest the Word: eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it (v. 3).  Let the Word fill you.  Take it in and let it settle into your soul.  Digest it.  Absorb the richness of God's Word.  Don't let it just pass through you.  Absorb it.  As you consume it, let it consume you.
• Disseminate the Word: eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel...So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth (v. 3).  The whole point of taking in the Word is not only for our own gain.  You are to share what you take in.  The ultimate purpose is that you consume it to become a connoisseur of it.  As a connoisseur, you can share about its sweetness and richness because you have tasted and seen that it is good.  If we are obedient to God in taking in His Word, we should also be obedient to God in sharing and spreading His Word to others.

Search for it.  Study it.  Stomach it.  Share it.  Spread it.

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.- Jeremiah 15:16