our iniquities have risen

The Aggravating Truth by Pastor Mac

When many Christians in this country talk about the country being a mess, and we need to get back to God they want to quote the passage in 2nd Chronicles which starts with “when my people Humble themselves…”; in my recent studies I think I have found a better passage for where we are at as a faith community and as a nation. It is found in Ezra 9 and starts with this: (verses 5-6) “At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God. And I said “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to you, my God for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.””

400 years ago a group of religious outcasts had the courage (or the insanity) to climb onto a wooden ship (way overcrowded by the way) and sail to what would become the Massachusetts Bay colony. Their goal was to start a place where they could practice their religion as they saw fit. Shortly after the Mayflower landed and that colony begin, others with similar goals arrived on these shores and started additional colonies dedicated to religious freedom and the common good. They built faith based communities in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Whether it is popular to teach it or not, that is where the United States got its start. Up until World War 1 the vast majority of students in this country learned to read and write, and about literature, using Bible quotes, passages, and stories. No, life was not better back then for everybody, and those times featured many situations where we as a people did not behave with love, mercy, and peace toward our fellow humans. But still we have fallen a long ways in the last 100 years or so.

As a pastor and a veteran I look at what I see in many places in this country and I am literally ashamed of the way people are behaving. I am appalled at the way folks working in many levels of government are acting, and at the way law abiding citizens are being treated by their government. I can’t believe how we talk to each other and treat each other in stores, restaurants, and other public places. I am afraid to turn on the TV some nights out of fear of what I might see. And I wonder how did this happen?

And then a thought occurred to me: How many people today can recite the 10 Commandments? We took those out of the public schools in this country in the 60’s. It took less than ten years from that point until Roe vs Wade was ruled on by the Supreme Court.

How many families share their faith with their children like my parents and grandparents did? Did you know that sharing it is a basic Biblical command? Way back in the book of Deuteronomy (6:4-9) there is a passage our Jewish friends call "the Shema". Part of that says “And you shall teach them diligently to your children”. In the Book of Proverbs we are told to “train up a child in the right way” (that is teach them about God and His way of living) "and then when the child is older he will stay on course". (See 22:6) And we started taking prayer out of schools, and firing teachers who dared to include faith or spiritual values or even morals in their classrooms. We told poor families that the government would help them take care of their children, but we could do more to help if those struggling moms just didn’t have a husband in the house.

You see the answer is simple- we did this to ourselves. The Apostle Paul taught Timothy this way: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later days some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.” (4:1-3) Paul continues in verse 6 “If you put godly instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, nourished on the words of faith and on the sound teaching that you have followed.” We allowed our families, communities and nation to wander away from the values our great country was founded on.

So the question for Christians today is this: If you don’t like the direction the country, your state, community or family is going what are YOU doing about it? God put you in this time and place to serve Him and spread His message to those around you. Are you praying for your nation and its leaders to submit themselves to God and His will? Are you sharing Jesus and the Hope that only He can provide to those around you on a daily basis, starting with your family but including your neighbors, co-workers, and community? Do you belong to a congregation that is active in the community to make a difference for the Kingdom of God? Ok. That was several questions.

Don’t be a pew potato. Do Something for God today!

Then Tell Us about it!!!