What a journey life is. It is full of emotions both good and bad. One day we can be riding the crest of the wave and the next be in the depth of despair. Is it purely externals that determine where we are emotionally? Do we have an active part in our lot in life?
I believe we do. Often we go about our daily life with no thought of God. It is not until something goes wrong that we think of Him. This is the problem of the ages. How many times did Israel abandon God’s ways only to suffer for their actions? Then to plead with God for forgiveness (Psa 79). Warren Wiersbe in his book “Be Worshipful” writes the following:
As the kingdom of Judah declined, their kings and leaders became less and less devoted to the Lord. There were a few godly kings, such as Asa, Josiah, Joash, and Hezekiah, but foreign alliances, idolatry, and unbelief combined to weaken the kingdom and ripen it for judgment. The sins of the fathers accumulated until God could hold back His wrath no longer (Gen. 15:16; Matt. 23:32-33; 1 Thess. 2:13-16). We are guilty before God for only our own sins (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18), but we may suffer because of the sins of our ancestors (Ex. 20:5; Ex. 34:7; 2 Kings 17:7ff; 2 Kings 23:26-27; 2 Kings 24:3-4; Lam. 5:7; Dan. 9:4-14).
“But we may suffer because of the sins of our ancestors.” We live in a country that is quickly amassing sins before almighty God. Our response is “I didn’t have anything to do with those decisions.” But as a nation we will all have to bear the ultimate consequence of those sins in this life. So there is a reason to cry out, there is a reason to take a stand for God. There is a reason to pray that God will turn us back before we lie in ruins before the world as Israel did.
I can start with myself. I can place God in the forefront of my life. Maybe my wife and children will see, accept, and take this example and share it with others. Then one by one this nation will turn back to God.