I am anxious for you

Are you a "worrying" type of person? I can be but I quickly realize that no amount of worrying can resolve a matter. Lee Yen and my biggest concern as husband and wife, and parents, is our children. But, we can be getting it all wrong, and we have. They are gifts from God, and we need to be responsible stewards of God's gifts to us. However, God owns them. Our children are His. When you have this perspective, there is no more worry. We know God will take care of them. We need to just invest into their lives through love, training and prayer. However, this was not the case with the people of Israel.

Ezekiel 23:36-37

The LORD also said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them.

The variety of imagery that God uses to describe Israel's and Judah's unfaithfulness is incredible. Here God uses two harlots or prostitutes that have similar names and are from the same mother. First they prostitute with Egypt, then Assyria, and then Babylon. In the process they pick up idolatry and other practices that are not God's ways. God warns them yet again that He is making an example of them for others. And truly He has. He inflicts judgement.

Let's not be the bad examples. Instead, be good examples. Our children, our community, our nations need it. They need to see Jesus in us. We cannot compromise and follow the ways of our neighbors. We cannot smile at sin and allow it to destroy our neighbors.

Father, I want an anxious heart for my neighbor.

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