Seen & Redeemed

Published August 21, 2026

Friday, August 21, 2026 | Dusti Palenzuela

Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16 is one of the parables given to Ezekiel by the Lord to tell the Israelites during their captivity. Some of the language may feel foreign to us, but as I dug into the historical meaning, I couldn’t help but see how evident God’s love is for us, even when we have walked away. I know I have many times in my life.

The picture of an infant being born, with the cord not cut and left for dead, is a powerful image of abandonment. Historically, newborns were washed with salt and water, cleansed with oil, and wrapped for protection. This required great care. Yet the infant in this story was discarded.

When the Lord saw her, He saved her. He cleansed her, covered her, made a covenant with her, and gave her beautiful garments and jewelry, as if she were a bride of royalty.

But the attention she received would eventually take her down a dark path. She forgot where everything came from and who had blessed her. In her pride, she became self-reliant and placed her trust and worship in other things. Her sin became a cycle that ultimately led her to sacrifice the precious gifts God had given her.

This reminds me of James 1:14-18: “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin...” Yet James reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father.

Having gone through abandonment issues, I can relate to this infant who was thrown out with no one to care for her.

I felt alone to the point where death seemed like a better option.

Yet my God saw me in my darkest pit, and He gave me life. He didn’t just give me life; He cleansed me, made a covenant with me, and gave me a promise.

I wish I could say that was it—happily ever after. But my heart became like that of this harlot. I found my identity in what others thought and in my accomplishments. My sin became my comfort, and my comfort became my pleasure. It took years for my eyes to see my faults and work through those struggles.

Praise God that He is a Redeemer who loves us! He loves us enough to pay the cost of our sin. I still struggle at times with my identity and trusting God’s will over my own, but through God’s Word, His people, and His Spirit - I have been given the tools to walk through these struggles one step at a time.

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