4/27/13- A Need for Humility and Quiet Repentance

⁶ Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served him, ⁷ he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, ⁸ who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites. ⁹ The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim; Israel was in great distress. ¹⁰ Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”

¹¹ The Lord replied, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, ¹² the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? ¹³ But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. ¹⁴ Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”

¹⁵ But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” ¹⁶ Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer. (Judges 10)

Thoughts:    In the past when our nation was under attack or at war, the leaders of our country called out to God for salvation and protection, and turning to Him in humility and repentance.   Certainly Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt have many quotes asking the nation to join in prayer.  In his Pearl Harbor speech FDR said, "With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God."  As recently as 9/11/2001 the congress gathered on the steps of congress- Democrat and Republican and sang "God Bless America." President George W. Bush said in his 911 speech: " Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."   

      It has been twelve years since then.  Instead of our nation turning back to God, all evidence is that we are nation that is forsaking God as fast as we can for the false gods of pleasure, sexual  immorality, and selfishness.  Today for the first time in our history more babies are born out of wedlock than in wedlock.  Today more first partners live together without being married and a majority do not see it as wrong.  We have blessed homosexual behavior and cursed those who say it is immoral.  In the passage above the Israelites had syncretized the worship of the Lord with the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth who were fertility gods (that encouraged sexual immorality in order to be blessed).  

    After 911 someone asked Billy Graham's daughter, Ann G. Lotz, why God would allow the destruction of the World Trade Center.  Her response was that "for several years we have shaken our fist at God and said, 'God we want you out of our schools, our government, our business...'and God who is a gentleman has just quietly backed out...removing his hand of blessing and protection."  She has since said that 911 was a "wake up call...but we're still sleeping."  Since 911 our church attendance in America has declined 10%- a huge drop.  Instead of repenting, we are angry at those who ask us to remember and repent.  Many of our young people do not even know how to call on God in trouble.  President Obama issued a call for us to pray for the people of Boston.  He wisely said, "The American people will say a prayer for Boston tonight. And Michelle and I send our deepest thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims in the wake of this senseless loss."  We need to pray God's comfort and help.  But we also need to turn to Him and away from forsaking Him.  We can learn from the past on this.  

Prayer: Lord, we ask that you bear our misery no longer.  Help us to forsake our other gods and turn to you without shame.  Help us to remember you are the blesser and protector of our lives.  Comfort those who mourn and convict those who are comfortable. We pray for our leaders and our people O Lord.  Lead us back to your gracious blessing.