In the city of Manila there is a place called "Smoky Mountain". This place is continually burning and smoky, not because it is a volcano, but because it is a pile of rubbish that is continually in a state of combustion. It is smelly and difficult to get near, but there are people who ignore all that and scavenge for recyclables in the midst of the garbage, and even live in the edge of it. The rest of us passing through this area may be appalled at this to the point of feeling nauseated. This is how you may feel as you read Chapter 22 in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 22:11-12
One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter. In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord GOD.
Human sacrifice. Making and worship of idols. Sexual perversity. Social injustices of the worst kind. These could all be found in Jerusalem and caused its downfall. Yes, nauseating. But do we feel the same today with the same things happening around us? God forbid we get immune to them. It is unnatural. Our God given conscience should be getting rubbed the wrong way. It should spur us to action, rather than apathy. Perhaps it is because we have seen so many solutions applied and see them not working. Time to do it differently. This includes Christian organizations trying to use Godly humanitarian aid, and/or values to solve the problems. The solution is truly a reconciled relationship with God through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no other solution. They need Jesus.
Father, let me not be immune to the sin and the consequences of sin around me. Let me pray and share the way of salvation and reconciliation of God.
Comments
Post a Comment