As I Live

 "....Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we survive?"   So asked the people of Israel in the recorded words of Ezekiel 33:10. They had good reason for that question.  The promise of God's judgement for generations of sin, immoralities, oppression, and idolatry had come upon them, and more was to follow.  They were in exile in the Babylonian kingdom, and the liberty and sovereignty of their own kingdom was lost, and they were suffering under the harsh hand of their captors.   

Their question is filled with despair and a sense of doom as they had to take a hard look at themselves, and the decisions and actions that brought the wrath of their God upon them.  Now that the words of the true prophets were fulfilled,{for there were many false prophets, that was part of the problem} they were forced to acknowledge that what they had sown they were now reaping, and that the reality and Lordship of God was nothing to trifle with, as they had for so long. The question for them was, how were they going to survive, how can they go forward from here, if there even was a way forward.  The answer is one of sure hope if any were disposed to hear it. God answers in verse 11, " As I live declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back  from your evil ways!  Why will you die O house of Israel?" Gods answer is what it had always been, recognize sin, personal and national, and confess them and turn away from wrong. That is the way to find mercy and restoration, even from the desolation of exile that Israel was experiencing in Ezekiel's time. 

Our nation is not in the desolation of exile, but we are on a slippery path to destruction and perhaps the final loss of our national identity. We have an president dishonestly placed, a congress composed of virulent leftists and cowardly,  myopic conservatives. The political philosophy of the former are more in line with National Socialism of 1930's Germany than our own American ideals. The latter has betrayed our ideals, their constituents and their sworn oath before Almighty God.  We have immoralities and perversions of all stripes, corruptions, oppression, racism, idolatry, false prophets of our own preaching a false gospel, resulting in false christians.  Mayors and Governors stood by and watched their cities burn and allowed businesses and the livelihoods of their citizens to literally go up in smoke. After decades of trifling with the One True God, and sowing lawlessness and rebellion, we are "rotting away" in our sins.  What is the answer for these United States going forward? Is there a way forward?  It's the same as in Ezekiels' day, turn back from our sins. 

"As I live," declares God. God does live, and because He lives we have hope. The hope of mercy lives, hope of restoration lives, the hope of the overthrow of wicked agendas lives, the hope of eternal life lives, because He Who is Lord and Savior lives today.  Because He lives the church of Jesus Christ must be first to pray for and demonstrate unity and true repentance. We must be the first to show what it is to lament before God because of our guilt and sins. We must be first to recognize that Christ alone is Lord, and that He is in control, even of the destructive situation we have brought upon ourselves. 

Christ Jesus is merciful and long suffering. He paid the price for the worlds sin on that dark day on the cross.  Our ultimate victory is assured because of His resurrection on that triumphant morning. Yet, He leaves the choice with us. Will we turn  back? Do we at least recognize the dire situation we face? Are we able to confess, intercede, demonstrate before a confused and troubled nation where hope lies? May the Holy Spirit come upon the household of God like never before, so that we will hunger and thirst for righteousness, and mercy.  May the renewing Presence of Christ Jesus create a brokenness and deep conviction in our hearts first, so that we can share Christ with integrity and genuine love. 

Hope lives, not because of a religion or belief system. Hope lives because God says," As I live."  The reality of God gives us all hope in the most hurtful of circumstances. May hope be yours today. May God help this great nation of ours and give us hope.