Thursday, November 20, 2008

Standing in the gap

Today's Readings: Ezekiel 22:17-31, 23:1-49, 24:1-14; 2 Kings 24:20b-25:2; Jeremiah 39:1, 52:3b-5 

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:
"Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey.  They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth.  They make many widows in the land.  Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things.  They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not.  Ezekiel 22:25-26a

"Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice." Ezekiel 22:29

"I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one.  So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger.  I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins.  I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!" Ezekiel 22:30b-31

The Lord continued to use allegories to try to get his point across.  He compared the people of Israel to the slag remaining after silver is smelted -- useless and worthless yet worthy of the furious fire poured upon them through God's anger.  He compared them to the two adulterous sisters who prostituted themselves and were then rejected.  In both of these stories, the Lord was trying to get across to the people the fierce judgment that they would receive and how he desired to find that one who would 'stand in the gap'.

My response to God: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to seek holiness.  Lead me to that place, far from from the worthless slag of today, so that I can be one to stand in the gap for you.

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