Hard

 not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you.
Ezekiel 3:6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/ezk.3.6.ESV

'Keen' Christians are often characterised as those who are cross-cultural and especially linguistic missionaries. Of course we should all be zealously sharing the gospel, whatever our contexts. Ezekiel wasn't sent to an unknown language group however.

Ezekiel ministered to his own people, albeit in exile in Babylon. On the face of it that might sound a relatively easy job. God warned him however that he wasn't going to get listened to.

God even said that if Ezekiel had gone to another language group, they would have listened. As it was, he was going to have to be harder and tougher than his hard and tough audience. Thankfully God promised to make him hard and tough.

Apparently there was a time in British history when church leaders were concerned there weren't enough ministers rising up nationally, because all the 'keen' Christians were volunteering for overseas missions. Sadly, nowadays, the UK is crying out for foreign missionaries to come to us. We need reevangelising!

'O Lord our God, may we speak up for You wherever we are and whatever the response. Please help us to be faithful to You, our faithful God, in Jesus' name, amen'

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