Tuesday, January 17, 2012

God's Kindness, in the Midst of His Wrath


And the LORD said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and (A)put a mark on the foreheads of the men who (B)sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” Ezekiel 9:4


Like a Delta Forces team raiding a POW camp to rescue those held captive by an evil task master, so God is coming to rescue his people from the slavery in which they live and their Prison Guard - the evil one.


In Ezekiel 9, God's wrath is going to be poured out on those who are teaching others to serve and worship Idols and other created things.  This Idolatry has lead to all kings of evil:  Injustice, the death of the Innocent, Greed of those in Power, and abuse to the poor.


But before God's wrath is poured out, he instructs his angels to go throughout the city and put His mark on every person who is grieved by the evil that surrounds him or her.  God hates it when men pursue their own ways, because we are selfish and when left to ourselves, we turn from bad to worse.  Through out the world, where men have no accountability; wars, famines, murder and corruption are the norm......


So today God is looking to put His mark on each of us who mourn at the evil in our day.  When we Seek his Face, he marks us with the promised Holy Spirit - guarantee of our inheritance (Eph 1:13-4) and the future salvation and glory of his life today, as well as protection from his terrifying wrath in the future....(1 the 5:9)


As we walk with Jesus, we learn much about God, His kindness, the human condition, the hard world we live in, and the future of what is to come...


God is so good that, though he brings his wrath, he offers us the opportunity to join him in grieving for all the pain and suffering around us, so we too might learn to lay our lives down for our brethren, even to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us...


Like in Toy story, God mark us to day with your mark.  God will you give us the mind of Christ more and more as we see the day of your coming drawing near...........



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