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b'(Ez.2:2-5;\\xa0\\xa0 Ps.123:1-4;\\xa0\\xa0 2Cor.12:7-10;\\xa0\\xa0 Mk.6:1-6) \\u201cMy grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.\\u201d And so Ezekial, though he is being sent to those \\u201cwho have rebelled against [God],\\u201d to those who are \\u201chard of face\\u201d and \\u201cobstinate of heart,\\u201d yet must declare, \\u201cThus says the Lord,\\u201d yet must call to their rebellious hearts \\u201cwhether they heed or resist.\\u201d\\xa0 Likely they will resist him; likely they will persecute him, as they have all the prophets, but still he must \\u201clift up [his] eyes\\u201d to Him who is \\u201centhroned in heaven\\u201d \\u2013 despite his weakness before these lions, he must stand strong with God. And \\u201cso are our eyes on the Lord, our God\\u201d; so do we look to Him constantly for His mercy and protection.\\xa0 \\u201cWe are more than sated with contempt: our souls are more than sated with the mockery of the arrogant, with the contempt of the proud.\\u201d\\xa0 The believing Christian cannot but be persecuted by the wickedness of the world, pervasive in all men\\u2019s hearts, for he stands in constant opposition to the lust and greed and violence with which fallen man seeks to fill his soul.\\xa0 What can we be but weak in the face of such a hardened enemy.\\xa0 And yet we must make that enemy our friend; yet we must say with Paul: \\u201cI am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ.\\u201d\\xa0 For we know that the power of God is with us despite our humiliation; we know that He acts just the same to thwart the wicked. On the cross they mocked the Lord; they spurned His goodness and looked with contempt on His love, a love which died for them who beat Him.\\xa0 And today we see that Jesus \\u201ccame to His native place\\u2026 to teach in the synagogue,\\u201d despite the fact that they would \\u201c[take] offense at Him.\\u201d\\xa0 They cannot believe this humble carpenter\\u2019s son could teach with such wisdom: \\u201cWhere did this man get all this?\\u201d they ask in doubt of His origin.\\xa0 The Lord\\u2019s weak appearance belies the mighty Spirit which is upon Him; and those who are blind to truth and so slow of heart to believe cannot but mock and stone Him who alone would give them strength.\\xa0 Brothers and sisters, to whatever people you go let them know \\u201cthat a prophet has been among them\\u201d; show them all that Christ has risen from the dead.\\xa0 There may be some who will turn from their sin, and even if rebuked, you will maintain the power of the grace of God within.\\xa0 Always remember, it is not you who speak but the Lord. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Don\'t Be Afraid of the Dark" (first half) from Cleansing Human Frailty, fourth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, though so human and weak in ourselves, in you we are strong. YHWH, you call us to endure the mockery of the arrogant, the contempt of the proud.\\xa0 Though persecuted for the Word we bring to rebellious souls, we must nonetheless speak in your NAME, content with such mistreatment.\\xa0 If even your Son was rejected by His kin, to whom He came working wonders, what should we expect else, we who are but weak men?\\xa0 Let us not be afraid to join in the suffering of Jesus, but rejoice that we are called to be as He is. In humble stature your Christ walked amongst us, but great was your power upon Him.\\xa0 Though we would inevitably reject His loving call and fix Him to a cross, He did not turn from such mockery of His divinity.\\xa0 And so we call upon you, LORD, to give us the strength He showed, to be with us through all that comes with walking in His way.\\xa0 Let your grace be at work in us as we go forth to hardened souls.'