Rolling on Wheels by Heidi Dru Kortman

 

Text: Ezekiel 1:1-21; 10:17

“When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved, and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creature stood still, they also stood still…”(v. 19-21).

Until now, these devotions have not mentioned alternate methods of mobility. Ezekiel originally wrote these words as a vivid description of a vision of God’s angels and glory. Because the main duty of any angel or living creature is to do God’s will and proclaim his grace and glory, Ezekiel’s use of wheels is an excellent metaphor for readiness. The angels are completely unhindered in their active obedience to God’s will. “The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning” (v. 14).

I believe this text also applies to people who currently use wheelchairs to assist them in accomplishing God’s will. Although we do not have multiple faces, and are limited to traveling in one direction at a time, we can, in a limited way echo the obedience and willingness of the angels to act. This is possible because the same spirit of God that commands the angels also lives in us and urges us to active obedience that accomplishes God’s will. Although the wheels that belong to us do not intersect like those belonging to the living creatures, the parallel, tandem sets we now use on this sin-marred earth usually function reasonably well.

Ezekiel also uses an interesting phrase about the path the angels took. In verse 17 he adds, “… they did not turn about [or aside] as the creatures went.” This does not imply a physical limitation, but rather a focusing of the will that does not stray from God’s specific commands. As perfect creatures, the holy angels are not distracted by the temptation sin so often places in our path, and that turns us aside from simple obedience when we neglect to ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In the meantime, whether our chairs are motorized or manual, “the big wheel runs by faith, and the little wheel turns by the grace of God.” It won’t be long until we can all leave the wheels to the cherubim, for “dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Heidi Dru Kortman DTM

God's gifts and call are irrevocable.

heididrukortman.com.

 

Heidi Dru Kortman, a CWG Apprentice graduate, ACFW member since 2004, and Word Weaver member has published devotionals in various newsletters, and a collected volume of devotionals. Her poetry, flash fiction, and short stories have appeared in small magazines, and a website. She is applying herself to the task of writing smoothly polished fiction.