THE COMMON THREAD

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“You have forgotten Me, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Ezekiel 22:12b

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

For nine straight days, we have looked at different sins committed by the Israelites of Ezekiel’s day, sins specifically called out by God. They included:

Murder.

Showing contempt toward parents.

Mistreating foreigners, orphans, and widows.

Despising the Lord’s holy things.

Desecrating the Sabbath.

Slandering others.

Worshiping false gods and idols.

Committing wicked sexual sins.

Allowing a lust for money to lead to sin.

In today’s devotion, we find God tying all these distinct sins together with one common thread as He tells His people (and us as well) the root of the problem that got them in trouble with Him. Look at today’s scripture again:

“You have forgotten Me, declares the Sovereign Lord.”  Ezekiel 22:12b

“You have forgotten Me.”

Four simple words that form the foundation for the Israelites’ wicked behaviors.

For if the Israelites had remembered God, then they would have remembered the following:

1. They would have remembered His commands.

Simply remembering His orders to not commit the sins they committed would have been the right start toward not entertaining them in the first place but perhaps that wouldn’t have been enough. That’s why we need to add a second point:

2. They would have remembered that God hates sin.

If the Israelites had recalled Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have kept in mind that God despised sin so much that He utterly destroyed both cities and the sinners within. But of course, we know they didn’t and ended up seeing their nation and city (Jerusalem) destroyed as well.

3. They would have remembered that God honors repentance.

If the Israelites had remembered that God hated sin and would send harsh consequences on anyone who disregarded Him, they would also have remembered that He did make room for His people to realize their wrongs and turn from their sins, a remembrance that would have hopefully led them to stop sinning and seek His pardon, which takes us to our final point.

4. They would have remembered that their God was a God of grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

The mess the Israelites had gotten themselves into could have been avoided if they had remembered that the same God who ultimately brought them judgment was a God who also showed great grace, mercy, and forgiveness to His people when they would show contrition for their sins and commit to change their ways.

In sum, we need to understand that we will always head down the wrong path, the path that leads us into sin and opposition to the Lord, when we forget Him while we live out our lives. It truly is the common thread that connects all acts of transgression together.

If you’re in that place today, in a place where you have forgotten the Lord in your life, I encourage you to do take the following steps:

1. Recommit yourself to God’s word, will, and way by living again as Jesus did.

2. Remember that God despises sin and repent of whatever wrongs you have committed.

3. Receive God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love as you return to Him.

4. Never forget Him again so that you will live in righteousness instead of sinfulness.

In closing, the road to living in the Lord’s favor isn’t a hard one to stay on. We only need to fix our full attention and devotion on Him and Him alone. He will never lead us wrong.  

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
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