“Finally, I stood before the Lord in great embarrassment; then I fell to my knees and lifted my hands to the Lord, and cried out, O my God, I am ashamed; I blush to lift up my face, for our sins are piled higher than our heads and our guilt is as boundless as the heavens.” Ezra 9:5-6 (TLB)
The words of the Holy Spirit, spoken through Ezra thousands of years ago, ring with such an eternal truth that they seem as fresh as today’s newspaper. In the United States, indeed, our sins are piled higher than the mountains, and idolatry has replaced the Master as an object of worship. But not idols such as golden calves and wooden statues. We worship at the altar of Celebrity. We worship at the altar of wealth. And we worship at the twin altars of pride and arrogance. Even many churches are filled with members worshiping these idols, instead of the Lord Almighty.
Oh, how I long for a modern day Ezra to step up to a microphone, in humbleness and shame, and cry out to God to heal our sin polluted land. How I long to see a national leader fall on their face before our Master, and beg forgiveness of its citizens. Our football stadiums are packed every Saturday, while many churches are practically empty each Sunday. Oh, what mighty blessings would God give to a President that takes to his knees, rips his shirt, and falls facedown before the Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and cries pardon for his own sins and those of his people? We know the Lord longs to give his children good things.
We do know this will be literally true one day; that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and each tongue will confess that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. We should stop bowing down to the sewage Hollywood is exporting to us. More people know about Lindsay Lohan’s latest trip to the drug and alcohol rehab center than could name a single prophecy concerning the coming of our Messiah, Jesus the Christ! We should remember that all the gold in the world, will not buy you into Heaven. All your gold is like sewage to God; yet you lie, steal, and cheat to get even more. Even your church membership card, Ordination Certificate, or Minister’s License will not do it. Blood was poured out to get you into Heaven, and only that blood, and NOTHING ELSE, will open the gates. Anything else is a waste of God’s Blessing. For most, it will be far too late when they realize that they have soiled the freedom Jesus died to give them.
Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis