“But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gates shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it” (Ezekiel 46:9 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). After bringing a dead congregation to life, Ezekiel was instructed by God to set up Sanctuary rules. This scripture intrigued me last year and I underlined it. Now I’m returning to peruse what is being said. It’s important for us in the 21st century not to leave the House of God the way we came in. You may have only one door for an entrance and exit but you can still leave another way. Sorrow may have caused you to come in grieving but you can leave with joy from being in the presence of God. Don’t leave the way you came in!

Prayer: In Your presence there is always fullness of joy! Thank You, Lord, for lifting my heavy load in Your House. As the song by Bill and Gloria Gaither declares, “Because You live I can face tomorrow.”

Devotion by Kaye Singleton