What a week! A roller coaster of emotions and I praise God tomorrow is Sunday and I can once again be in the house of the Lord. It’s a treat for me! I love my Pastor and I love our people. I love having the opportunity to share the Word of God with the teen department and receiving the Word of God for myself through the preaching. I need it for weeks like this when the world went chaotic and left me shaking my head as people were proud of their two year old behavior and touted that it was in protest of their rights being violated by my rights being respected. I could not believe my eyes and ears as I watched news reports of people using the election to justify rioting and burning the American flag that represented their freedom to do that and not be shot as they would in another country.
Zephaniah’s Old Testament words had modern day bearing as another of God’s warnings reminded me that God doesn’t think their behavior was any cuter than I do.
Zephaniah 1:12
And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.
It’s Gonna Happen
There will be a reckoning day in Heaven and on earth for what is happening on earth now. The news media, the government and our citizens will answer to God for their mocking of Him and their arrogance. Their attempts to discourage and degrade God’s people and His plan did not go un-noticed. I am encouraged (not by their demise and or penance) but rather encouraged by God’s word which keeps me grounded in the fact that God is very much aware of us. And He will still provide mercy for those who come to Him requesting it.
It’s Gonna Come to Light
Just like the infamous emails, God is going to uncover everything that has been done in the darkness of this election and this lifetime. It won’t matter which side of the fence you’re on: Democrat, Republican, Saved or Heathen… what you’ve done is already known by God. He may allow it to remain covered down here for a while, but there will be a day when all its ugliness will have the blanket pulled back and there it will lay with nothing to say except… Oh God, have mercy on me.
It’s Gonna be Settled
There is a song that says “My account was settled long ago.” Glory to God how awesome that is for the child of God whose sin is covered by the crimson flow of the blood of our Lord Jesus. But there is still an accountability factor for what we’ve done with that salvation. How have we served? The lees settled in this scripture speaks of “wine, quiet and undisturbed. A good outward estate, abounding in wealth and riches and trusting and enjoying therein,” so says the commentary of John Gill. Ignoring the decay around them. I would dare say that is America in a nutshell. We bask in what looks good while there is suffering surrounding us. Those rioters were not concerned about the election or the atrocities of Nation. They were concerned about self. There way was rejected and they were upset.
How must we have looked to God? Did His eyes turn from the child of God that is being martyred for standing up for their faith, and look to the tantrum thrower on the ground in the United States and say “Oh how terrible for you child that you didn’t get your way.” According to the Christian Post *7,000 Christians were killed for their faith between Nov. 1, 2014, and Oct. 31, 2015.
God isn’t mocked by your anti-God rhetoric. Just because God didn’t strike you dead when you shook your fist at Him and dared His action, doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist. It only means you received the gift of mercy one more day.
Now, I don’t believe too many (if any) of the protestors will read this blog. But to the child of God, take heart and keep serving. Keep proclaiming and head to church in the morning to thank God for another day of grace.
*Read more at https://www.christianpost.com/news/open-doors-world-watch-list-2015-deadliest-year-christians-killed-for-faith-jesus-christ-154875/#pvQxVM8qQ2i2Lljk.99