The enabling Spirit

"He said to me, 'Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.'
As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet,
and I heard him speaking to me"

Ezekiel 2.1-2

What does God expect me to do for him? What if I can't do it?

This is a big moment at the beginning of Ezekiel's ministry as a prophet. And the Lord tells him that he is going to speak to Ezekiel. All the Lord requires is that Ezekiel should stand. Between Ezekiel and hearing from the living, covenant keeping, almighty God is the simply act of standing.

Such a small act of obedience, but so far from Ezekiel's ability. To be fair to Ezekiel he has just seen what Holy really means and he is terrified - as you and I would be. 

So hear we are. God has given a command which Ezekiel is unable to obey. 

And then. 

"As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet". Isn't that amazing. Isn't that stunningly tender and gentle and intimate.

The Lord commands, the Spirit enables.

When the Lord commands what is impossible for us (and he does daily), when he commands us to give up something that is precious to us, to go somewhere which terrifies us, to do something which overwhelms us, something so hard that we collapse before it - his Spirit comes into us and raises us to our feet.

"Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you!
As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.'
And with that he breathed on them and said,
'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"

John 20.21-22