ESOCS Devotional 17 July 2026 – God Sees and Calls You By name
MEMORY VERSE: “The word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.”– Ezekiel 1:3 NKJV
TEXT: EZEKIEL 1:1-14
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
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Ezekiel 1:3 is a powerful reminder that God sees us, even in unfamiliar, difficult places, and He calls us by name. Ezekiel was in exile, far from home, surrounded by despair. Yet, it was there, by the River Chebar in a foreign land, that “the word of the Lord came expressly” to him. God didn’t wait for Ezekiel to return to Jerusalem. Instead, He met him where he was.
God identifies Ezekiel specifically as “the son of Buzi”. This was not a general message; it was personal, intimate, and purposeful. Despite the chaos of exile, God had not forgotten Ezekiel’s name, his calling, or his destiny. The hand of the Lord was upon him there, in Babylon, not in the temple, showing that God’s presence is not limited by geography or circumstance.
Like Ezekiel, you may feel displaced, overlooked, or stuck in a place you didn’t choose. But God knows exactly where you are. He sees you. He knows your name. And He has a purpose for you right there. Your current situation is not an obstacle to God’s call, it’s the very place He may choose to reveal His glory and speak His word to you.
God doesn’t need perfect conditions to call you; He just needs a willing heart. Ezekiel’s story reminds us that God can raise up prophets, leaders, and world-changers even in places of loss or exile.
Reflection
- Do I believe God knows and calls me personally by name?
- Am I attentive to God’s voice, even in difficult or unfamiliar seasons?
- What is God calling me to do where I am right now?
Action Step
Acknowledge God’s presence in your current circumstances and invite Him to speak. Listen daily through prayer and Scripture for His personal word to you. Say yes to His call, even if it comes in an unexpected place.
Prayer
- Lord, thank You that You see me and call me by name.
- Help me to hear your voice, even in seasons of exile or uncertainty.
- Use me for Your glory, right where I am, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Further Reading: Number 9:15-End; John 12:20-36; 1 Timothy 3:1-End
ESOCS Devotional 17 July 2026
