“When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead.” (Ezekiel 46:9)

It feels strange that this is what stood out to me because it FEELS like this isn’t spiritual. What could it matter which gate someone exits from? It may not matter, except for the fact that the Lord said, “Exit straight ahead.”

The issue isn’t really which gate I should go out. The issue is my heart’s willingness to do what the Lord says. This principle applies to gates and to everything else the Lord tells me to do.

Many years ago, my mother was saved and baptized in an independent Baptist church. Some years afterward, she moved to Oklahoma. When she wanted to join a Southern Baptist church, the pastor said she needed to be baptized in one. So she was baptized in that church. I said, “But mom, you were already baptized.” Her answer: “Well, I wanted to be part of that church, so I did what he said I needed to do.”

Now, I still think the pastor was wrong to demand that she be rebaptized. But I appreciate my mother’s heart to do whatever she was told. Similarly, I need to be committed to doing what the Lord says, no matter what I or anyone else thinks about the command.

Father, please help me to grow in my spiritual maturity, so that I respond appropriately and immediately to your commands. Amen.