What a Sinful Nation

Scripture: Oh, what a sinful nation they are! They walk bent-backed beneath their load of guilt. Their fathers before them were evil too. Born to be bad, they have turned their backs upon the Lord and have despised the Holy One of Israel. They have cut themselves off from his help. Isaiah 1:4

Observation: Isaiah opens his prophesy against the sinfulness of Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem with this observation ... they themselves even know their evil and their guilt, and yet do it anyway. The guilt they bear over their sins against the Lord are themselves a heavy burden, which is upon them at all times. They walk around under that burden with full knowledge, and yet do nothing to relieve it because it has become part of their culture. Their society is evil ... they were born into that evilness, as their ancestors passed the evil practices down to them. In this way, they have fully cut themselves off from God.

Application: That pretty much summarizes life in the northwestern US today. We are a people burdened by anger, hatred, unrest, and lawlessness. Daily casual conversations turn to worry about riots, crazy politics, and true and total hate between people groups. As a result, when placed under the heavy burden of a pandemic, and hearing of economic issues and massive storms, we cower in further fear ... yet never once as a people do we turn to the Lord for help.

The church must NOT be like this, but rather we must be the prophet calling out this condition. I must be a person who says the next things, asking why the people refuse to acknowledge the situation, why they chase after false propositions in life like political parties, governed equity, generational wealth, and even cotton masks?! These are not things that can help! These are not concepts in which to place hope.

My family was called into this mission field, in what is actually one of the least faithful places on earth. We - the church - must express the truth, for this is the charge of the Lord. The Lord promises that, no matter how deep our stain is as a people, he can wash it out, and has provided the means through Jesus. May we make Jesus known today.

Prayer: Lord, this day I pray for my nation, for my region, for my city, and for my community. It would be easier to leave here. It would be easier to withdraw and simply ignore the issues, the anger, and the hurt that surround us. But Lord, the source of all those sorrows is an ignorance of Jesus and a lack of hope found in your love. May that hope be rediscovered, despite how many generations it has been since the knowledge left this place. Elected official of social leaders stand opposed in hate, and I pray that somehow they find a common ground in the love of Jesus. It looks impossible from here, but all things are possible by you, oh Lord. Please reach the people with your message, and restore the land by that same grace. Amen.